Always There
by LadyAnime13
Summary: Lyra Silverleaf is a vassal to the royal family of Mirkwood. There for the first time, she meets the young prince, Legolas. This meeting sets off their relationship and adventures together as friends and ultimately to something more. Legolas X OC
1. Prologue: Under A Blue Sky

Hey guys! This is my first Lord of the Rings fanfic! It's based on my character Lyra and how she is involved with the other characters! In human years, Lyra is about 10 years old right now, give or take a few years. I hope you like it! Oh! I also included a list of meanings and names. Use it if you want! Lyra's name means "lyre," as in the instrument. I am in no way a master of elvish and I take stuff off an online dictionary! Some inaccuracies will occur!

Calanon- Light

Ada/Naneth- Father/ Mother

Idhrenion- Wise

Alya- Rich

Bein- Beautiful

Vehiron- Lordly

Meldiron- Friend

* * *

**Prologue- Under A Blue Sky**

The glorious glowing sun was high in the sky and everything was as it should. The white clouds rolled lazily across the horizon like little boats in the sea. The cool air was clean and crisp, filling the lungs of every creature and giving them the energy for the day. The forests by the Blue Mountains were alight with life. Birds sang, wolves hunted and the deer ran through the trees. All was quiet when the distinctive sound of steel on steel rang, cutting through the still air like a hot knife through butter. Deep in the woods, there was a large clearing. There wasn't much to it. A river ran through the green grass and that was all. If you look closer however, you could see sharp and thin holes in the ground and shortened grass where weapons cut them. If you were there at the right time of day, you would see a small little group of people that were hard at work- fighting that was. This was that time of day.

A thin little girl stumbled backwards and barely managed to right herself when a sword came down at her head in the form of a devastating overhand stroke. With expert ease, she brought up two knives, one supporting the other to intercept it, catching the sword in a well formed x. Pushing the sword away, she flipped backwards away from the adversary only to be met by another. Her eyes widened and she rolled, right as another sword passed above where her head was only moments before. She backed away slowly and her back met a tree. Breathing deeply, she looked around her. Three people were advancing on her slowly- carefully. Even when cornered, she was dangerous.

The little girl licked her dry lips and pushed back her sweat soaked hair, revealing a delicate set of pointed ears. This group of people are not who they appeared to be at first. Tall for normal men, they walked with the gracefulness of cats and the light-footedness of deer. Their bodies were thin and lithe, giving them a sleek and slim look of perpetual beauty, no matter what the circumstance. Their eyes more keen than a hawks and lives longer than any of the other races- men, dwarves and hobbits alike. These were elves. Specifically, they were elves of Mirkwood. Mirkwood, ruled by King Thranduil was a one of the elven nations, but there were others. Rivendell, otherwise known as Imladris was taken care of by Lord Elrond, and Lothlorien by Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

The little girl's sharp green eyes darted between the figures in front of her and she breathed deeply. "Lady Lyra!" a voice called and her head turned to the side where a tall and handsome elf stood. He smiled at her as the figures continued to advance. "You're doing well, move those feet a little more though. You're the fastest elf I know! Put those feet to good use! You'll do even better!" She nodded.

"Yes Calanon," she said and turned back to her opponents. They all looked eager but smiled encouragement to the young little she-elf. She smiled back and started to dance lightly from foot to foot. One of the elves took that as an invitation to attack and lunged forward, hoping to pin the little elf between the trees. Lyra saw through the attack and jumped straight up and kicked the elf in the back, sending him sprawling into the dust, his head hitting the tree with a dull thwack. The other two attacked immediately after, trying for a pincer attack when to their surprise, the small elf wasn't there anymore. She slid behind one of them and used the hilt of one of her knives, jabbing it into the elf's head. He fell to the ground, dazed. With only one opponent left, they engaged in one-on-one combat, forcing the girl to take step after step back. He knew he had the advantage. He was taller than the girl and years of experience made him a better fighter- or so he thought. With his overconfidence, he let the tip of his sword drop in a moment of weakness. Lyra didn't miss it. She forced the sword to the ground by sliding the blades together, creating a nerve grating hiss. Her hairs stood on end as she stomped on the blade, trapping it in the dirt and with a smooth circular motion; she pointed her knife inches from the elf's throat. His eyes widened as he stared at the shining surface of the knife.

All was silent when suddenly, clapping started on the side of the clearing. Looking up, the young elf broke into a smile. Her teacher Calanon was happily applauding and to his left, so was her parents. "Ada! Naneth!" Lyra cried, dropping her weapons and running over to the pair which happily scooped the little girl up. Her opponent slid to the ground, looking relieved. Calanon looked to the three tired elves with a barely contained grin.

"Looks like you guys need some more practice," he chortled. The elves on the ground shrugged haplessly. Calanon waved them away. "Dismissed," The injured elves filed away towards the healers, each rubbing their wounds with a slight hint of annoyance- beaten by the little lady again. The instructor soon turned back to his student and rubbed her hair when she was set back on the ground by her parents. "Good job Lyra," he said. "This is your 20th consecutive win this month!" Lyra beamed.

"I had a good teacher!" Calanon laughed.

"Yes. You did," Lyra hugged him around his waist and he rubbed her hair while speaking to her parents.

"What brings you here Lord Idhrenion? Lady Alya?" The pair of elves smiled and the man spoke.

"We have come to bring some special news," he started, catching his daughter's interest. Her eyes peered up at his curiously. He smiled down at her and watched her squirm, getting impatient. Finally deciding that she couldn't get any wigglier, he let her off the hook. "We have finished our mission at the Blue Mountains," Lyra's mother leaned in to take her child.

"We are going back to Mirkwood after one hundred and fifty years, and for you Lyra, you will see it for the first time," Lyra jumped up and down in excitement.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "I'm going to see Mirkwood?" Her parents laughed and nodded. She punched the air. "All right! I'm going to go get packed!" she declared. "Don't try to stop me!" Before anyone could say anything, she retrieved her weapons and disappeared into the trees. The three adults shook their heads at their impulsive young one.

"So fast," sighed Lady Alya. "She is such a fighter." Her husband snickered.

"Even more so than me. I'm impressed," He turned to Calanon. "You taught her well." The instructor bowed.

"She had the raw material. I only honed the blade," Lord Idhrenion guffawed.

"You're too modest Calanon. Have more pride!" Calanon blushed and they all laughed before things went silent. Not even the forest made any noise. "How long has it been?" Idhrenion asked. He didn't specify. They knew what he was talking about.

"One hundred years I believe. Almost," Alya whispered. "Our baby sure has grown up."

"She is quite remarkable for a girl not yet one hundred." Calanon interrupted. "She will grow to be a fine fighter one day. An excellent vassal for Mirkwood's young prince, just like her parents were to its' king." The couple looked at each other.

"Indeed." There was no more time for idle chatter. They were to leave the very next morning and they needed to get ready. All of them melted into the woods, the only sign of their scuffle was the turned up dirt and the imprints on the grass.

* * *

It was late, the sun had long sunk below the horizon and the moon took its' place in the sky. Everyone was asleep- except for one restless elf and her parents. "But _Ada_! _Naneth_!" Lyra whined, squirming in her mother's grip. "Why can't the moon go down and the sun come up any faster?" Her father sighed and caught her in a bear hug.

"That's just the way of the world _bein_," he answered patiently. "You have to go along with it." Lyra stuck out her tongue and went limp in her father's arms.

"The way of the world is too slow!" she sighed and wriggled so that she was more comfortable. "I'm too restless to sleep. I have never been outside of the forest! I have never seen anything but the Blue Mountains to the east and the sea to the west. I want to see new things." Her parents looked at each other and Idhrenion passed Lyra off to her mother and they sat up.

"How about a story?" he asked her. Lyra cocked her head.

"A story?" she inquired.

"Yes," Alya answered. "The story of how we Silverleaf's became the guardian vassals of the Greenleaf's. The royal's of Mirkwood." That got her attention. Lyra sat rigid, staring at her parents expectantly. She had never heard this story before and she was more than eager. Alya smiled and stroked her daughter's silver hair, giving her husband the honor of telling it.

"It started back thousands of years ago," he began. "To the first king of Mirkwood, Vehiron. There was a very important mission that he had to attend to, to save Mirkwood from a powerful enemy. Do you know about that mission Lyra?" She nodded.

"Yes ada!" she shifted on her mother's lap. "Teacher told me the history of the shadow master." Her father chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"That's right. The king had to retrieve a special stone, leaving everything he knew behind. He travelled far and wide but unknown the whole time, he was followed by a very close friend of his- our ancestor, Meldiron. In a time of great distress, when his highness almost failed, his friend came and gave him strength. With his help, they were able to dispel the shadow. As a thank you, the king gave him the highest title and a place by his side forever. That is how we Silverleaf's became vassals," He looked into his daughter's eyes. "I am his majesty's friend and protector, just like I'm sure you will be the friend and protector of his son."

Lyra's head slowly went up and the down. "Prince Legolas right?" Her mother nodded.

"Yes sweetheart. He is one hundred years your senior, but your skills with your weapons are better than we ever could have hoped for. You can put them to good use." Lyra yawned. She didn't mean to be rude but hearing the story had somehow calmed her down. It may have just been her parent's soothing voices and silent whispers of encouragement.

"Sorry naneth," she murmured, crawling away snuggling into her blankets. "I'm suddenly so tired. I'm glad that you believe in me. I'd be happy to put my skills to use for the prince." Alya smiled and kissed her daughter on her temple as she fell asleep.

"I'm sure you will," She gestured at her husband and they crept slowly to the door and out, closing it behind them as they stood in the night air. They let the silence stretch before the couple embraced each other lightly. "Do you think that it's too soon for her? That we're pushing her too fast?" Idhrenion shook his head as he breathed in the sweet scent of his wife's hair.

"No. I think we're going too slowly," He looked up at the stars and across their camp. "Lyra has childish antics and energy, but we both know that she is wise and skilled, even beyond her age. She will serve Mirkwood well."

"But she is still a child Idhrenion," she argued. "Even you didn't serve the king until you were two hundred. She's a hundred years earlier than you were. She's a she-elf too!" He laughed lightly as he rubbed her back.

"It's not a matter of age, but of skill and she far exceeds where I was at two hundred." He pushed away and tilted his wife's chin up to stare into her eyes. "She will be fine. I'm willing to bet everything on it." Alya threw back her head and seemed to mutter something to the sky.

"Fine!" she groaned, snapping her head back. "You win!" He laughed and they kissed.

"Yes. I win," He opened the door again for her and waved her inside. "You'll see. Everything will be fine." Alya didn't even bother to answer, she just strode back into their cottage and the door closed behind them.

* * *

The sun was barely above the horizon when a caravan set off, rolling along a dusty road. Wagons were laden with food and utensils, luxuries such as silk and treasures of the mountain as well. All were quite happy to be leaving this place. Although the mountains were a wonderful place, they longed to once again see the borders of their home. Lady Alya was sitting in a wagon, quite content to watch the sun rise and the activities that her friends performed in the morning. She looked around and saw her daughter riding behind her and her husband in front. Various elves were all either on foot, in the wagon or on a horse although it hardly mattered. They were in no particular hurry and the road would not be hard. They would arrive fairly easily- even if they were attacked.

Lyra rode happily. She was in a good mood and that radiated to the young mare below her, sending it into an easy lope towards her father up ahead. He smiled as she pulled up next to his point position. "Good morning Lyra. What are you up to?" She tapped her chin.

"Nothing really I guess," she sighed and hopped in her seat on the horse's back. "I'm just so excited! I want to know more about Mirkwood! Why did you wait to have me in the Blue Mountains? Why not earlier?" Idhrenion blinked before bursting out in a laugh that gravitated stares of confusion in their direction. Lyra flushed in embarrassment. "Why are you laughing ada? Seriously- what's so funny?" Her father took a deep shuddering breath to calm himself before he looked at his perplexed elfling.

"It was an important mission Lyra," he managed to make out between stifled laughter. "We couldn't exactly have you earlier. We weren't ready for that kind of commitment until we were out here and doing something important that gave us the right sense of responsibility." Lyra huffed.

"Sheesh. You're the vassal aren't you? Didn't you have the right sense of responsibility before you even left for the mission?" Idhrenion began to sweat. This girl really was smart beyond her years.

"How about we just leave it at that? You'll find out what Mirkwood is like when you're in it!" Lyra opened her mouth to protest when she heard her mother's voice call from the back.

"Child! Come!" She called and when the she-elf turned to look at her father, he merely looked triumphant. Glaring at him, she urged her horse back down the length of wagons. When she was gone, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He never wanted to be put on the spot like that again- never.

Lyra rode to where her mother was and frowned. "What do you want?" Alya put her hand to her mouth in mock horror.

"Is that any way to address your mother young lady?" she scolded and Lyra felt herself crack a small smile. She was known around the caravan a lot as just, child or something along those lines. She was the only one under the age of one thousand in their group. Calanon was the youngest one other than her and even he was one thousand and twenty-five, give or take a few years. Young lady was something she was called when the need to be stern was there.

"Do you need something naneth?" she corrected herself and her mother smiled.

"That's better," she gestured into the wagon. "Why don't you take a nap sweetheart? You were up hours before dawn." Lyra was about to say that she wasn't tired, but instead of words, there came out yawns. Alya raised an eyebrow and Lyra shrugged, nodding at the same time. Jumping off her horse with grace, she scampered into the wagon and buried herself in the blankets. She was asleep almost instantly.

Looking back out at the front, Alya caught her husband's eyes. They were smiling. They knew that Lyra needed this. It was not good for her to be so excited. They knew it would wear off soon enough, but they needed to contain her anyway. Mirkwood would do wonders for her- both mentally and physically. It was her homeland after all. She just needed the energy for when that time arrived. Not that energy would be a problem for the young elf. They were more worried about everyone else not having the energy to keep up. That's what the young prince was for. Only a hundred years apart in age, he would be Lyra's first elfling friend. They would get along, they just knew it.


	2. Chapter 1: I Saw You

**Hi! Me again! XD Time for the first chapter after the prologue! Thank you people for looking in on my story to those who did and I hope that to the new people out there, you will find my story enjoyable! I certainly love writing it! :D May I also ask that if you have the time, to please review? You don't have to but I would be most grateful if you did! I'll shut up now so please- Enjoy!**

**Sûl- Wind**

**Man carel le- What are you doing?**

**Meleth- Love**

**Mirima- Free**

**Beinion- Handsome**

* * *

**Chapter 1- I Saw You**

"One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four," chanted a young elf as he swung his knives in a smooth sequence of moves that would make even a master swordsman jealous. He was all alone; the only other living creatures were the occasional bird and curious rabbit that would dart in and out of the arena. Well, if you could call it an arena. Stone columns rose around a large round space creating an illusion of a place of peace, but also a place where you could fight. Off to the side, there were numerous weapon supplies. At the moment, there was a recurve bow resting on a bench and a quiver of arrows that lay next to it. You would only understand why it was there when you saw a series of targets set off farther down the forest. Upon closer inspection, you would see that the only place where there were holes was the bulls-eye.

The boy twirled and his knives moved effortlessly and smoothly, each knife blending into the other so much that it looked like it was merely one moving along on it's own in a metallic blur. The boy closed his eyes, feeling the movement before finally seeming to decide that he was done. Opening his eyes, he finished his practice set by lightly jumping off the ground and executed a graceful flip, sheathing his weapons in the process. When he landed, he took a deep breath of fresh air, letting the warmth of the forest wash over him. This was his home. This was Mirkwood. He strode over to his bow and sighed. "When is father going to allow me to use a real longbow?" he asked himself. "I've been practicing with a beginner's bow for over a hundred and seventy-five years! I'm almost two hundred! He should at least let me practice with something better." He continued to grumble as he slung the quiver across his back and picked up his bow. Suddenly, lightning fast, he snatched an arrow from his quiver, nocked it to the string of his bow, drew back and let it fly all within the span of one second. He didn't even bother to see where it hit. He left the arena and darted into the forest. If one were to look, the still quivering arrow had hit the center of the target over fifty meters away.

The little elf ran around a beautiful elven palace, the walls glinting in the noon sun from where the treetops parted, creating small holes in the canopy. He skirted the marble floors and the limestone walls and passed many elegant rooms and equally elegant people who called greetings to him. He politely called back but his mind was on other things. For one, where was his father? He darted into the throne room and looked around at the high ceiling and the various vines that crawled across it. The room was empty save for a few stragglers. From what he saw, he could only assume that there was some meeting in here only a while before. Unfortunately, that meant he also just missed his father. He checked the library next. No dad. His father's room after that- same result. The kitchen came next and he didn't even expect his father to be there, he just wanted a snack. Swiping a fruit tart from right under the cook's nose, he quickly scampered away before they realized anything was missing.

The boy knew himself that he wasn't the type to give up quickly but he was truly getting annoyed and impatient. Minus the detour to the kitchen, he had been looking for his father for over an hour and still no luck. Right as he decided that it might be best to just forget about looking for his father in the first place, he walked right into him. There was no warning, only the slight surprise at the moment of impact radiating from both the father and son. The boy reeled backwards a few inches before a slim, but firm hand reached out and took hold of the boy's shoulder, stopping his slipping backwards. The elf man watched, amused as his son rubbed his nose.

"Legolas, what are you doing?" asked the elf, a bemused expression on his face. "Shouldn't you be in training?" The boy frowned as his hand dropped from his face to his side as he looked up at the tall figure.

"Ada," he said irritably. "I have finished my training. The sun has already moved past the highest point in the sky." King Thranduil raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully but the ghost of a smile was already tugging at his lips. He had good news that he wanted to share with his little elfling. Legolas raised an eyebrow, no longer frowning. His father was in a strangely good mood it appeared. It was common for his father to be a content and pleasant monarch, but his father was almost- mirthful. It scared him a bit and he felt himself back up a step. Thranduil, seeing this gesture, laughed. "Something wrong Legolas?" he chuckled. "Does my mood displease you?" Legolas shook his head slowly, still confused and uncertain as to what to say.

"Not displease ada, more-" he paused, trying to figure out what to say. "Confused," Legolas' eyebrows knit together. "I have not seen you in such a mood before. What are you so happy about?"

"You have not seen me in such a mood before? Surely you have?" The elfling twitched. His father was toying with him. Thranduil glanced down at his son before he looked up at the sky, enjoying the fact that dodging his son's questions seemed to drive him nuts.

"Ada! Please!" Legolas pleaded, looking like a pouty baby. "You're driving me crazy! Please tell me why you're so happy? Do you enjoy making me wait? I-" Thranduil held up his hand and Legolas stopped cold. He knew his father commanded respect with that single gesture.

"As a matter of fact Legolas, it is quite enjoyable to make you wait," He smiled and ruffled his son's hair. Placing a hand on Legolas' back, he led him down the hallway at a slow walk. He smiled and decided to let the prince of the hook. "Do you remember Lord Idrhenion and Lady Alya?" he questioned. Legolas' eyes immediately brightened at the sound of their names and he looked up at his father happily.

"Yes. They are your vassals and best friends in all of Middle Earth," He cocked his head to the side. "They left for the mission to the Blue Mountains one hundred and fifty years ago." His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared up at his father suspiciously. "What about them?" Thranduil grinned uncharacteristically and stopped, kneeling so that he was at his son's level.

"They're coming back to Mirkwood," he whispered so that only Legolas could hear. The elfling's eyes slowly widened.

"Both of them? Their mission is over?" Thranduil nodded.

"I got their message about a month ago. They should be here within the day. I think they're already in the borders." Legolas couldn't keep in a whoop of excitement. He was already starting to run when his father grabbed him to hold him there. "Hold on Legolas! They also have a dau-"

"No time to talk ada!" Legolas puffed, legs already pushing away from his father. "If they're already inside the borders than I can catch them on _Sûl_!" Before Thranduil had a chance to protest further, Legolas had tore out of his father's grip and went hurtling down the hall, narrowly missing a woman coming around the corner. She squeaked in shock as she pressed herself flat against the wall. "Sorry naneth!" Legolas pivoted to face the woman as he hopped back on one leg. "I got to go!" Swiveling around to face the front once more, he ran out of sight.

The woman blinked before slowly detaching herself from the wall and striding over to her husband. "King Thranduil. _Man carel le_?" Her mouth was turned upside down, an irritated frown on her face. Thranduil snickered.

"He is merely excited my _meleth_._ Mirima,_" he cooed, stroking her cheek in a sign of affection. "You need not be so harsh on him. The coming arrival of my vassals has sent him past his limits." Mirima started when realization seemed to dawn on her.

"So you told him?" Thranduil nodded and his wife sighed. "I never expected his reaction to be quite like this. Did you tell him about their daughter?" Thranduil chuckled a bit sheepishly and raised his arms in a helpless gesture. His wife's mouth dropped open, appalled. "You didn't?"

"Didn't get a chance," He pointed in the direction that Legolas had taken off in. "Silly boy ran away before I could get it out. He wants to ride out to meet them but he needs to get ready to see them tonight." Mirima shook her head and pulled away, walking back down the hall.

"You'll get your chance," She waved her hand lazily in the air. "General _Beinion_ has orders to grab Legolas if he tries to ride out on his own. He'll bring him back to his room and you'll be there waiting." Thranduil's mouth formed an 'o' shape involuntarily when he heard what his wife said.

"You mean you knew ahead of time that he would try something like this?" he asked incredulously. Mirima rolled her eyes.

"Oh come now Thranduil! Don't tell me you honestly didn't believe that he wouldn't try something like this? He's more impulsive and energetic than a newborn foal!" The king sighed and rubbed the back of his head slowly.

"You're right. He is rather predictable. I guess I'll go and wait for him in his room," He took a step in the opposite direction when he stopped abruptly. He turned back to his wife, one brow up in question. "Where are you going?"

"Don't you know?" she answered, turning back to Thranduil, a smile on her face. "It's such a wonderful occasion- I've got a party to finish planning!"

* * *

Legolas dashed down the corridors and after a few more near misses with other bodies, he decided to branch off to the forest side road where there were less people about. There were branches, holes and various other tripping hazards strewn all across the ground, but it was no problem whatsoever for the agile little elf. He jumped over each hurdle as easily as a walk in the garden. Almost skidding to a stop in front of the stables, he crept in and when he was positive that no one was watching, snuck into his horses stall. Sûl's head lifted up and he neighed a happy greeting to his master. Legolas hurriedly placed a finger to his lips, urging the colt to be silent while his eyes searched the stall. Satisfied that no one was coming, he jumped smoothly onto his partner's back and asked him to move forward.

He didn't. Legolas frowned, a nonplussed expression on his face. "Sûl- what's the matter? Why aren't you moving?" The young bay merely tossed his head and snorted indifferently. Legolas felt his eye twitch and he yelled, all pretenses of quiet forgotten. "Come on Sûl! I need to go meet someone! It will be faster if you come with me! Besides! You can have some fresh air so it's good for the both of us!" He stared at his horse hard, seeing if there was any reaction from Sûl. He had a brief glimmer of hope when he seemed to shift but that hope was quickly shot down again when he merely planted his hooves further into the soft hay. Legolas groaned and slid off his horse, landing with a small thump in the dried grass. "You're mean Sûl! You're doing this on purpose!" The horse turned to look at Legolas, its' brown orbs holding laughter. The elf narrowed his eyes and stood up quickly, causing the dried stalks to fall of his clothing in heaps. "Fine! I'll run to them then!"

He vaulted over the stall door and was headed towards the stable entrance when something latched onto the collar of his shirt and he was lifted off the ground with a yelp. His arms flailing uselessly, Legolas looked like a fish out of water. "Where do you think you're going your highness?" He froze and turned his head as much as he could to see a smiling figure of another elf.

"General Beinion!" He scowled, his thin arms and legs starting up their wheeling motion once again. "What is the meaning of this? Put me down!" The brown eyes of the elf that held Legolas sparkled in what could only be amusement at the powerless prince. He pushed his arm a little further away from himself to avoid the flying limbs.

"My apologies young master but I have specific orders to take you back to your chambers should you try to escape." Beinion started walking and the motion made Legolas more desperate, trying more fervently to get out of his grip.

"Well I'm undoing the order!" he yelled, now holding onto his general's arms, trying to break his grip. "I have to go see the Silverleaf's!" Beinion sighed.

"You don't have to see them now young master," he said tiredly. "They're coming and will be here tonight. You need to get cleaned up. You over trained yourself again. Besides, you can't undo your mother's order." Upon hearing that his mother had given the order, he gave up, going limp. There was no way that anyone was going to undermine the orders of the king and queen- especially the queen.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll just be a rag-doll until we get to my room." Beinion grinned crookedly.

"That's more like it." He didn't let go of Legolas' collar. Chances are that as soon as he puts the young prince down, he would take off again and disappear into the woods. They walked down the castle halls, the prince dangling like an overripe fruit on a tree. Strange as the sight was, they didn't draw attention to themselves whatsoever. The court officials, servants and the elves of Mirkwood were used to seeing their prince run off and then get dragged back by one of the elves of the castle. The last time he was slung unceremoniously over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes by his own father.

They set off up a flight of stairs and continued to walk, the general's long strides covering the distance to the prince's chambers easily. Upon arrival to a large wooden door, Beinion raised his free hand and rapped on the surface with his knuckles. "Lord Thranduil. I found your son!"

There was silence on the other end for a few moments when a slightly muffled voice spoke on the other end. "Come in," Complying with the command, the elf entered to see Thranduil sitting on the bed, observing a scroll of some sort. When he looked up, his cheeks flushed red. Legolas was already angry that his feet were over a foot away from his ground, but his father's barely held straight face seemed to make it worse. "Thank you Beinion," he half-snorted. His son was obviously getting angrier by the minute. "You may leave us." The tall man bowed and put Legolas down who merely stood there in an irritated fashion as he left the room. When they were alone, the princeling turned his glare to his father. Thranduil raised his hand in a calming gesture. "Now, now Legolas- don't look so angry. You'll see them tonight. You want to look good for when they arrive right? Give them the good impression of the prince you've become. You are a lot different than you were one hundred and fifty years ago." The prince glared for a few seconds longer when he let his tense shoulders drop and he sighed, walking over to sit next to his father on the bed.

"Sorry ada," he muttered. "I've been too impatient. I should listen to you more." Thranduil raised an eyebrow before rubbing his son's head. Legolas tried to push it off to no avail.

"There we go! That's a lot better!" Thranduil smiled and stood up, rubbing his son's head again and walking over to a beautiful mahogany desk, picking up a bundle of herbs. He gestured at Legolas and the elfling stood up. Without even asking, he went into a separate room and prepared himself for a bath. The water was already there and warm and Legolas sank into with a contented sigh. He didn't even realize how sore his muscles were until he relaxed them. Thranduil walked in and passed off some herbs to Legolas. He left immediately afterward and rifled through his son's closet to look for something appropriate and laid out the things he would use to clean up his son. He knew that if he wasn't perfectly clean tonight, his wife was going to have a fit.

* * *

Legolas had gotten out of the tub barely ten minutes after he got in. Under normal circumstances, he would have loved to stay in longer, but the prospect of the arrival of his father's vassals proved too much to keep the boy still. Stepping back into the room, already fully clothed and hair dripping, his bare feet squelched across the floor as his father stared at him, a slightly disapproving look on his face.

"What are you doing back in your training clothes Legolas?" The prince looked up, confused.

"Um… Is there a reason I shouldn't?" Thranduil exhaled loudly and sent a pointed gaze his way.

"Legolas. Please. You are going to be attending a banquet tonight. Shouldn't you make yourself more presentable?" Realization seemed to dawn on the young prince and he glanced down at his dirt laden tunic and breeches. A light blush touched his cheek as he looked up at his father. No words were spoken for there was no need. Thranduil simply pointed at a fresh set of formal clothing that was laid out on the bed. Snatching the outfit, Legolas hurriedly changed into the more suitable attire. Thranduil looked over his son with an appraising eye. "It looks good on you," he finally said. "Your mother won't yell at me if you're dressed in this." Legolas moaned.

"Why does mother treat me as if I was a girl?" Thranduil shrugged.

"Why don't you ask her?" The prince immediately shook his head.

"No way! She's going to treat me like a doll even more if I ask her!" Thranduil felt his side's shake again as laughter rumbled in his chest and threatened to spill out of his mouth. His wife was known for her feminine personality and torturing her husband and son by forcing her habits onto them.

"Then you better just bear with it Legolas. No use complaining if that's what you think." Legolas breathed out in a deep sigh. He resolved that dropping the subject would just make life easier, for the both of them.

"Okay ada. Whatever you say." Thranduil smiled sympathetically and motioned for his son to come over. The prince ambled over to his father and sat down next to him, where his father pulled off the string holding Legolas' hair up and proceeded to work out the tangles that had burrowed there while training. There was silence for a few moments when Legolas grumbled, "Even you treat me like a she-elf. I'm not you know."

"Then shape up. You can't keep whining about it." Thranduil retorted. Another awkward silence reigned. You could hear the metallic chirps of bird and the slight rustle that the wind made in the trees. The king looked out the window briefly before smiling at his son. Now might be as good a time to tell him as ever. "You know," he started, making sure his son was listening. He thought that he may have saw the small pair of ears in front of him twitch a little at his voice. "The Silverleaf's have been blessed with a child."

Legolas' head whipped around and his body followed immediately after, almost knocking the comb in Thranduil's hand to the floor. His bright eyes glowed even brighter as his father scooted back an inch. "A kid?" Legolas was practically falling over in his excitement. "They have a kid?" Thranduil pushed his son back with a laugh.

"Settle down Legolas!" He shook his head at the elfling's predictable behavior. There weren't a lot of elf children in Mirkwood. Legolas grew up with adults around him and at other times he was either alone or with the forest creatures. He could understand the excitable nature of his son. "Yes. They have been blessed with a beautiful little girl." Legolas' face fell.

"Oh," he said, sounding disappointed. "Then I guess she's just another lady that doesn't like to get a hair out of place huh?" His posture slumped and he sulked. Thranduil laughed for real this time, unable to hold it in anymore. Legolas glared daggers at him but nothing could dampen his mood at the moment.

"You got it all wrong Legolas," he finally managed to say, wiping a tear away from his eye. "The girl is ladylike to a point I'm sure, but from the messages I've received from them, she seems to be a lot more like you." Legolas' face lit up again almost instantly.

"Really? So she's not another overstuffed lady of the court?" Thranduil resisted the urge to whack his son over the head. The language was hardly appropriate of someone of his stature, but since today was a special day for both of them, he would let it slide.

"I heard that she's quite handy with a bow and knives. It seems to me like she would make an excellent sparring partner for you." Legolas beamed, a silly grin plastered all over his face. It seemed like he was going to jump out of his skin and Thranduil exerted as much effort as he could to keep Legolas firmly planted on his bottom and sitting still.

"In that case, I can't wait to meet her! I will treat her like the proper lady she is!" Thranduil's eyebrows rose.

"Oh? I thought that you didn't want her to be a lady." Legolas scratched his cheek as he stared at nothing in particular.

"Well, I said that I didn't want her to be a pompous lady, I didn't say I wouldn't treat her well. I'm sure that she deserves any amount of chivalry that can be given." Thranduil shook his head.

"What are you now- a knight?" Legolas ignored him.

"So! Tell me about her ada! How old is she? When is her birthday? What is she like? What does she like? Is she nice?" Legolas gasped and sucked in a lungful of air. He had said it all in one breath and was getting ready to let loose another torrent of questions, when Thranduil's hand clamped over his mouth.

"Please Legolas!" he groaned, exasperated. "Enough with the questions. I don't know all the answers." Legolas took his father's hand and pried it off his mouth.

"You at least know some of the answers right? Come on! Don't even think of telling me to ask her myself! I can't wait that long- besides! It's embarrassing to suddenly go up to a person that I never met before and start asking endless questions!" Thranduil sighed.

"All right. I'll answer the questions I know on the condition that you'll stay still for me," Legolas immediately obeyed, any sort of lingering disobedience was dispelled. Satisfied, the elf started. "First of all, she is one hundred years younger than you are. The age difference isn't so bad is it?" Legolas tentatively shook his head, being careful not to disturb his father's work.

"It's good that we are closer in age. We'll probably get along better right?" Legolas wasn't expecting an answer. He merely wanted to say the words out loud. Just as well, his father didn't even seem to acknowledge that another question has been asked and immediately moved on.

"Her birthday is the same day as yours." Legolas grinned. His birthday was tomorrow. That was some coincidence. "I unfortunately don't know what she's like or what she likes, but I have heard that she is a mild mannered child. I do believe that she is quite nice and polite to people around her although I can't really say. I've never met the girl after all. She could be a real monster!" Legolas rolled his eyes to heaven, unimpressed by his father's pathetic attempt at a joke.

"She seems like a pretty good person," he said, starting to feel an urge to run in his legs. "I'd like to make friends." Thranduil smiled, once again forcing the boy to stay still.

"She is also to be your vassal. Just like Lord Idrhenion is to me. Wonderful isn't it?" Legolas barely held in the tremor of surprise. He never thought of that. Sure he knew that the Silverleaf's were what they were but he never expected to have a girl to look after him. Then again, the sons of that family had always taken up the job. This was the first time that he heard a girl was doing it, much less someone that was younger than him.

"Yeah. It's great!" Legolas spouted with enthusiasm. It was real as far as anyone was concerned but it was also to cover up his faceless blunder. He felt something tug at his hair and then the slight pressure of the bed behind him was relieved. Thranduil stood up and eyed his son critically, waving a hand for him to get up. He was in every way, the prince that he should be. Tall for his age, with a pleasant face and bright disposition- he was very popular in court.

"You're all done," he declared, patting Legolas on the back to smooth out the wrinkles on his clothes that have settled there. "You can be at ease. You're mother won't be giving you the eye." Both of them grimaced involuntarily. They didn't like the eye. It was the look the queen gave to anyone that wasn't quite up to what she expected. It was an uncomfortable look indeed.

"Great!" Legolas stated, stretching his muscles for no other reason than to feel the movement. It was a known fact that he didn't like to stay to still. He was the kind of person that couldn't be allowed in meetings for his constant shifting would cause a distraction for all. "Now that we're done I'm going to-"

"Not so fast," his father cut in, grabbing his son by the shoulder. "You're to stay here. We don't want you running off to give their caravan a fright." Legolas turned on him, a pained expression on his face.

"But ada!" his son griped. "I'm all done so can't I just do what I want?" Thranduil firmly shook his head.

"If you get so much as a hair out of place, your mother will surely kill me." He grimaced. "It will be safer for the both of us if you just behave yourself."

"But!"

"No buts!" Thranduil fixed his son with a hard stare. Legolas shrank and looked away. "It will be fine. You can just occupy yourself here. There's no reason you can't." He rubbed his son's head, watching to make sure he didn't disturb the fine locks too much before going out the door. When he was gone, Legolas threw himself onto the bed with a frustrated grunt of contempt. This was so unfair. He was growing ever more restless and soon enough, he wouldn't be able to sit still anymore. He had to get out.

He stood and walked over to the open window, looking around, behind and down to see if there were any wayward elves that just might alert his presence to his parents should he attempt to escape. Seeing that the coast was clear, he hopped onto the windowsill and jumped down to the ground below. It was a good twelve foot drop but it didn't hinder the young elf at all who landed lightly and smoothly. Taking one more look around, he darted into the forest. He wasn't going to disobey his parents entirely. He was forbidden to leave and go see the caravan, but he wasn't going to see them. He might as well keep himself busy at his secret hideaway.

Some would think that the prince was too old for a simple frivolity such as a hideaway so that was why he never told anyone. It was the one place where Legolas ever felt truly at ease. It was a place where he could vent his emotions to the world and the only ones who could hear him were the trees and the forest creatures, and he was fine with that. They were so much more understanding than others of the same breed. The place was a source of calm. It was one of the few places in Mirkwood where the sun came in full force. There was a small pond of glittering blue water and it was a wonderful place to watch the stars at night. It was even a great place to train if you wanted privacy. He had set up various targets and dummies on which he could practice his skills. Some people would think that a place like that is too good to be true. It wasn't as long as you knew where to look. Most often in elven cities, those beautiful places were just outside the door. It was hidden away deep in Mirkwood and you would never find it unless you knew where to look. At least, that was what he thought. Emerging from the trees, he froze. Someone was already there. Acting under the thought that he wasn't seen, he crept slowly back into the shadows of the trees.

He peered cautiously at the person. He may be quite impulsive but it was a far cry from stupid. Studying the figure, he realized that it was a young girl with silver hair. She was dressed simply, much like the training clothes that Legolas so often wore. As he watched, she pulled an arrow from a quiver slung around her back and nocked it to a bow that looked a little out of proportion to the small girl. She looked like she could barely hold the bow, let alone shoot from it. Legolas found that he was sadly mistaken. She pulled the string to her cheek and let it fly. To his surprise, it hit the center of the target fifty meters away. He could tell immediately she was elven so her eyesight, like his, must be far superior to those of men. Even with that excuse, he was still a little apprehensive about the girl. It was probably just luck. Without really thinking anything through, he stood up as she was drawing another arrow taut and yelled across the clearing.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" The girl, startled by the figure that apparently sprung out of nowhere, took a step backwards. Unfortunately, her foot slid on a rock and she went reeling back, accidentally shooting the arrow in Legolas' direction in the process. Legolas and her both went down at the same time. The arrow, speeding towards him, lacked power and accuracy with the surprise of the shooter and therefore, he managed to just barely avoid it by throwing himself to the ground where it hit the tree above him with a dull thwock! At the same time, the girl set off balance by the shock and the wayward rock, stumbled and fell into the pond with a loud splash. There was silence for a few moments and Legolas peered over the bushes carefully. He was racked with a moment of panic as he realized that the girl was nowhere to be seen. What happened? His worry proved to be fruitless when she suddenly appeared a moment later in the shallow pond, coughing, spluttering and looking like a drowned bird. Forgetting caution, he ran over to her and looked at her wet form. She was looking straight ahead and Legolas' heart almost jumped to his throat when he saw that the wetness on her face wasn't all pond water.

"H-Hey! I'm sorry! Are you okay?" The girl looked up and he was met with a teary pair of green eyes. Surprisingly, she looked more angry than upset.

"No I am not okay? Weren't you ever taught to be careful around people with bows?" she snapped. "What if it had hit you?" Legolas was taken aback. She was glowering at him like he had done her a huge wrong.

"Well it didn't right?" he asked defensively. "Why worry about it now?" The girl deepened her glare and he began to feel sort of uncomfortable. "Stop staring at me like that! It makes me uncomfortable,"

"If that arrow had hit you, you would be more than uncomfortable!" she argued.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" he retorted. Despite himself, he felt anger slowly rise up in his chest.

"No I won't!" They glared at each other stubbornly, each not giving an inch to the other. It seemed like she was a pretty willful girl- that was probably why, after a little longer of staring, he was surprised when she looked away first.

"I'm sorry," she said, definitely looking sorry. "It was wrong of me to lose my temper. I practice my archery skills alone most of the time so I don't have to worry about hitting other people- well, if I'm not alone then at least I get some warning if someone's going to pop out of the bushes." She attempted a smile but the drowned look kind of ruined it. Legolas held out a hand for her to take. She stared at it like it was foreign object.

"I'm sorry to," she looked up at him and then at the hand. He was considering just pulling away since the girl seemed kind of confused at the gesture, but then it would be churlish if he did. His parents would be angry if he left a girl soaking wet in the pond. It didn't exactly fit in with his sense of right and wrong either. "You can take it you know. I'm acting under the assumption that me helping you will get you out of the pond easier." She stared at him a little longer before finally deciding that she would do it. She reached out and took the outstretched hand, allowing Legolas to pull her to her feet and clear of the pond.

When she was out, she looked down at herself. She was drenched from head to toe and Legolas noticed that she was about half a head to a head shorter than him. Frowning slightly, she twisted her hair to try to get some of the water out. Legolas watched, not quite sure what to do or say. Feeling that he had to say something, he took a breath.

"So. Your shooting was pretty good." She looked at him and raised her eyebrows.

"Thank you?" she stated. It sounded more like a question than anything else though. Legolas was completely at a loss. He didn't know how to talk to an elfling. He was pretty much surrounded by adults all his life. He never had a real chance to talk to someone close to his own age. When the chance did come, it was always a fleeting one. While he desperately rifled through his mind looking for something, anything to say, the girl managed to wring out most of the water in her clothes and hair, and was now proceeding to empty the water from her soft hide boots. She was smiling. This elf seemed like he was a little out of it. He decided to jump out while someone was holding a bow and yell. It was more than foolish. She slapped herself mentally. She had no right to criticize him. When she thought about it, she would have probably done the same thing. When her train of thought was over, Legolas finally seemed to think of something to say.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. She looked up at him, her smile replaced by her mask of confusion.

"Practicing my archery," she replied, acting like Legolas couldn't see the obvious. As far as she was concerned, she thought it strange that he didn't know after he almost took an arrow to the head. She had a vague idea that wasn't exactly what he was asking but she replied with the first thing that came to her head. She also thought that it might be fun to just mess around with him. This was the first elfling she had met and she wanted to have some fun with him. "Couldn't you tell?"

Legolas resisted the urge to slap his forehead. This girl was either naïve, very dense or was just pulling his leg. By the look of the way her eyes sparkled, it was most likely option number one mixed with number three. "I mean- this is actually my secret place," he looked around. "I was wondering why you were here of all places." The girl looked momentarily surprised when she heard it.

"I am so sorry!" she bowed her head multiple times. "I didn't realize that it wasn't open to the public!" At the sight of the rapid bowing, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at it. From what he could see, she was obviously sincere, and overdoing it.

"It's all right," he put his hands out in front of him, willing her to calm down. "It's not like this place is forbidden. I'm just saying that no one really knows about this place." As soon as he mentioned it was all right, she stopped bowing and stared at him. Legolas stared back, a little put off. "Do you mind just answering the question?"

She shrugged. "Sure thing. I guess if you put it that way, I was walking through the forest and I was thinking about practicing my archery. I was looking for a suitable place to practice and I stepped in a hole. I stumbled and rolled into here." Legolas' eyebrows went straight up. She sounded sort of clumsy. Weren't elves supposed to be graceful? Either way, he couldn't exactly make assumptions about a person he barely just met. It wasn't right. "I was going to leave, but then seeing how beautiful this place was-" She trailed off.

"You decided to stay?" Legolas finished for her. She nodded.

"Yeah," she smiled. "It's a great place to practice archery huh? The space is so wide and it stretches so far! I can't believe that you managed to keep it a secret!" Legolas found himself smiling as well. She was quite a… interesting character.

"Well it's not exactly a secret anymore now is it?" he asked her with a laugh.

"Oh. I guess not!" Both of the young elves started to laugh, Legolas right out and the girl starting with small giggles and eventually their laughs reached a crescendo, echoing throughout the clearing.

The girl stopped first, looking up at the sky and her eyes seemed to widen. "By the Valar!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I have to get going! I hope I can see you sometime!" She stood up and started for the trees before Legolas could blink.

"H-Hold on!" he called to her, giving chase. "Who are you?" It was too late. The girl disappeared through the trees and he was left alone. His eyebrows knit together, trying to figure out if he had ever seen that girl before. Since there weren't really any elf children in Mirkwood, he should be able to figure it out quite easily. He couldn't. He was absolutely sure that he had never seen the girl before. Biting the inside of his cheek, he looked up at the sky as well. He almost choked. The sun was beginning to set. If he didn't get home soon, he would surely be missed and be due for a scolding, if they haven't realized his disappearance already. Setting for the trees, a glint of white caught his eye in the setting sun. Walking over to it, it was an arrow. He picked it up and saw that the arrow's shaft had the white paint that he was drawn to. 'It must belong to that girl from earlier,' he thought. Deciding that he could probably spare a few more minutes, he went around the clearing, collecting the arrows from their targets. He was surprised to see that most of them had hit their targets, or at least pretty close. He grimaced when he came to the arrow that almost skewered him, but collected it anyway. He came to a grand total of five. She must not have been here long.

Clutching them all in his hand, he scampered away from the clearing. He tore through the trees, miraculously avoiding any branches that would take a snap at his clothing and hair and arrived back at the castle to almost bump into one of the sentries. He threw himself against the trunk of a tree right as the guard passed him. If he was any later, or even any earlier, he would have been seen. Counting to fifty and making sure the guard was gone, he shot to the vines under his bedroom window and climbed up expertly. Sliding into his room, he barely put the arrows in his quiver when there was a knock at his door. Jolting a bit, his eyes flashed to the door as his mother's voice chimed.

"Legolas?" she queried. "Can I come in?" He quickly shoved the quiver away from him and brushed away as much dirt as he could, smoothing his hair. He didn't want to look like he was outside; otherwise he would be sitting there for another half an hour as his mother fussed over him.

"Yes naneth." he said and the door opened. His mother came in, smiling. She was considered the beauty of Mirkwood. Her long shining-blond hair fell past her knees and her sky-blue eyes could very well see into your soul. Her skin was like porcelain and her features were sharp, but soft at the same time. Many said that her son looked like her and it always bothered Legolas a bit. He didn't exactly like being told that he looked like a woman.

"Are you ready, meleth?" she asked him, moving in and placing a hand on his back. "We should get you down to the banquet hall. You should at least be part of some of the duties." Legolas nodded obediently.

"Of course naneth. Whatever you say!" Legolas grinned cheerfully and his mother brought a hand to her lips, smiling gently.

"My, you're eager. Lets-" she frowned as she looked at Legolas' face. His heart started to beat fast. Did he miss something?

"Did something happen meleth?" she asked him. "You've got dirt on your cheek." Legolas raised his hand and touched his face where his mother indicated. With a start, he realized that it must have been when he dodged the arrow back at the clearing. He had cleaned off his clothes but he had forgotten to clean off his face. His head worked overtime, thinking up an excuse as his mother started rubbing at it with a slight frown of disdain.

"I slipped," he said simply and when his mother glanced at him suspiciously, he hastily added, "I went back into the bathroom and when I came out, some water that had leaked onto the stones caused me to trip." He mentally slapped himself again, this time harder. It was such a pathetic excuse of an excuse, there was no way his mother believed him. It didn't even make sense! The floor was spotless! Thankfully, she seemed mostly satisfied at the moment but she still gave him a look that told him that she'd be watching and wiped the last smudge of dirt away from Legolas' face.

"Well. Before there are any further accidents, let's get you down to the hall shall we?" She placed a gentle hand on his back, leading him out the door. "The cooks made your favorite dessert. They want you to try it and see if it is to your liking. We're serving it to the guests tonight after all." Legolas felt himself salivating a little and he swallowed before anything embarrassing happened.

"I can't wait," he said and allowed himself to be led to the banquet hall. He would ultimately see the Silverleaf's there, but for now, he was content. He had no worries. Not even the little girl that had found his private clearing was in his thoughts. As many say, the stomach rules the mind, in those that are young.

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**Whew! That was one long chapter! It was fun though! I'll update whenever I can so stay tuned! :D Thanks again for looking in!**


	3. Chapter 2: When We Meet

**Hey guys! Back with another chapter! :D Just to let you know, I'm changing Lyra's hair color. I know it's sort of late in the game but I decided that it might be nice! Thanks for staying with me if you started and welcome to the new ones! Please enjoy!**

**Alassiel- Joyful**

**Raina- Gracious**

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**Chapter 2- When We Meet**

Lyra broke through the trees as the sun was on its' way to setting behind them. No one seemed to notice her appearance right away so she straightened herself to her full height, even though it wasn't much. Sauntering into the camp, she was glad that the attention was on various parts of the forested surroundings, and not on her. They had passed through the borders and into the woodland realm of Mirkwood a day or two previous, and the royal palace was only less than half an hour away. Everyone was happy to be back. As she looked around, she caught wind of happy faces and excited chatter. Everyone was bustling around, making themselves look good for their arrival back home. A lot of the people in her caravan were servants of the palace, so they were overjoyed to be back in the service of the king, as well to be back at home. Lyra had none of those feelings of nostalgia. She could only see what was in front of her at the moment and a little beyond.

Surrounded, but feeling more or less alone, her thoughts drifted back to the boy in the clearing. She had no idea it was his secret spot and she was more than embarrassed to find that she invaded on it. She also felt a little foolish. She hadn't even noticed him arriving. If she was in the presence of Calanon, he would be rolling on the floor laughing at her ignorance and then hit her over the head when he was done. '_Always keep up your vigilance. You never know if that person hiding over there is your friend or enemy._' she quoted in her mind. The direct words of her mentor, and she forgot them so easily in the comfort of that grassy spot. Somehow, she couldn't help it. She felt so at home in this new place. It felt so much safer here than she ever felt in the Blue Mountains. She shook her head to clear the thought. It was still no excuse to not remember her training. She was just lucky that he didn't have any intention of hurting her.

She kicked at a rock and swore a most unladylike oath when she found out that it was rooted further into the ground than she thought. Jumping slightly on one foot, she slipped and fell into the bushes. Righting herself, she was glad to see that once again, no one was watching. The quick act of clumsiness brought her mind once more to the blonde boy. She didn't know why, but there seemed to be something strangely suspicious about him. He had good reflexes as far as she knew. Even if someone was as inaccurate and lacking power as she was when she loosed the arrow, she doubted that she would have been able to dodge it if she was on the receiving end. Compared to him, her mishap in the pond was just downright shameful. She was surprised that he had come to help her though. She half-expected him to just leave her there and laugh. It made her happy that he had offered to help.

Thinking back a bit, he seemed a bit too perfect in appearance to be a normal person. His clothes were so detailed and spotless. It looked so expensive. His face had a bit of a young gaiety to it, but it also looked mature. She wondered what kind of elfling could look like that- someone interesting no doubt. Not once did it cross her mind that that elf was the young prince Legolas- the one that she was supposed to look after in Mirkwood.

She strolled down the length of the camp where she saw her parents and Calanon happily chattering away by a small fire in front of their tent. She briefly considered leaving them to enjoy their conversation when her father spotted her. "Lyra!" he called, waving her over. When she hesitated, he only waved more urgently. "Come on sweetheart! Why are you hesitating?" She pursed her lips before smiling, running over to the little group that had gathered. Upon closer inspection of their little girl, both parents raised their eyebrows.

"What happened meleth?" her mother questioned, looking the girl up and down. "You're soaking wet." With a start, Lyra looked down at herself to find that she was still dripping. She thought that she had wrung out all the water before. It would seem she was too distracted and didn't. Her parents were staring at her intently and she looked to Calanon, hoping to draw some sort of help from his presence. It wasn't working. He looked just as curious and even had the nerve to look like he was about to laugh. Lyra sought an excuse desperately in her head. It was obvious that she was wet and it wasn't raining so that severely limited her excuses. Her parents had an uncanny ability to detect lies, or maybe it was just because she was a bad liar. She hated telling lies as well when she could avoid it. On a whim, she decided it might be easier to just tell the truth. It's not like she would tell the whole truth either. A partial truth was still the truth. The entire thought process only took a few seconds in her sub-consciousness, but her parents still felt the hesitation. There was something that the little elfling was hiding- whether it was intentional or not.

"I kind of," she started, putting on an act of sheepish humility. "Tripped and fell into a pond." It wasn't a lie, Lyra knew all too well. She did slip and fall into a pond, she knew she had the dripping clothes to prove it. She was also embarrassed about the whole ordeal in the first place so putting on that façade was no problem. She just simply, didn't tell the whole story. That wasn't so wrong now was it?

Her parents looked at each other and then at their girl. They could tell that she wasn't lying, but it still felt like something was missing. Calanon watched Lyra with an amused look. Like Lyra's parents, he could sense if something was off. He spent all that time training and tutoring the girl, he was going to pick up on some of her behavioral habits and be able to recognize them. For example, when she stood at the ready, her fingers would always make a little twitchy motion. When she was bored, disinterested, annoyed or something along those lines, her right leg would start vibrating. When she felt guilty, her eyes would look to the top left corner and when she didn't tell the whole truth, her eyes would look to the top right like she was doing at the moment. There were so many other habits, Calanon could make a list. He however, was currently more interested in the situation at hand.

"Well, if you're so sure that's what happened." Calanon drawled out each word so that they sounded so slurred together, you almost couldn't tell where one word ended and the other began. Lyra glared at him and his eyes twinkled just a bit brighter which only seemed to make her more annoyed. Her parents noticed the exchange and they rolled their eyes. They were used to this type of scene. Back in the Blue Mountains, they were constantly away and as a result, Calanon was Lyra's constant companion. She grew up with him practically always around and she came to view him as an older brother and in turn, Calanon viewed her as a younger sister. They loved each other just like normal siblings, and just like normal siblings, they had the normal provocative banter.

"Of course I'm sure that's what happened!" Lyra retorted. "I'm the one that's wet, aren't I?" Calanon once again saw her eyes shift in that momentary, but just noticeable action.

"Yeah, you say that but," he grinned at her. "Is that all that happened? I mean did you get scared and slip instead of just slipping out of your own clumsiness?" Lyra felt the red flush of anger starting to boil and the group of adults realized with a start that Lyra was going to blow over and get most unpleasant. She could be a real brat sometimes when she was angry.

"That's enough Calanon," Idrhenion said firmly and the grin faded from the young captain's face. Lyra also felt her anger slowly, but surely, fading as well. There was just something about her dad that said, 'Listen or you are in big trouble.' Calanon lowered his eyes to the ground, searching apparently, for something, and yet, nothing.

"Sorry sir," he apologized, looking downtrodden. Now that there was silence, he reflected on what he had said and realized that he was completely out of line. Even with the little spats he had with Lyra, it never paid to be so rude. "I spoke out of turn. I apologize," He turned to Lyra and kneeled down to her level, rubbing her head. "To you to Lyra- sorry about that," She glared daggers at him one more time before slowly breaking into a smile.

"Okay. I forgive you, but I get to eat your dessert for a week." Calanon's face fell.

"H-Hey! Since when did we decide that?" he cried, aghast. At the sight of the uncharacteristic face that he was making, his onlookers laughed. Calanon looked between the three of them, hoping for some sort of mercy, but when finding none, he shrugged and joined in. Halfheartedly at first, but gradually it bellowed out with all his heart. Lady Alya stopped first, wiping a tear from her eye.

"You might as well face it Calanon. When Lyra sets her mind on your dessert, she's never going to give it up," Lyra nodded enthusiastically.

"It will spare you a lot of mental anguish in the future!" she added cheerfully. Only Idrhenion said nothing, but the slight smile at the corner of his lips told of his true feelings. Calanon stood up and sighed, looking at the other man, begging him silently to say something, anything. When nothing came, he let out a huge breath and smiled ruefully at Lyra who was staring up at him. Both of them already knew the outcome of this battle.

"Fine. You get my dessert," he chuckled as he saw Lyra cross her arms smugly- her eyes flashing in triumph. She was happy as long as she won huh? She looked up at them and her eyebrows knit together.

"What were you all talking about?" she asked. "You all seem pretty happy." The threesome looked at her, and then each other.

"Everyone's happy Lyra," Idrhenion told her evenly. "We are back home after all." She waved his comment away.

"Not that! There is that kind of happy but there is this kind of excited happy that you have. It was happy before, but now it feels like you're expecting something." Alya smiled.

"As a matter of fact, there is something that we're expecting," When Lyra gave her an inquisitive look, she gestured to the captain. "Why don't you tell her Calanon?"

He nodded and sat down on a log, staring meaningfully at one of the tents for a few long moments. Lyra followed his gaze, but couldn't understand why he was doing what he was doing. "I sent a scout up ahead to the castle," he said and Lyra blinked, understanding starting to form in her head. That tent was pitched for the scouts of the caravan. They would be there at the moment so that was why Calanon's gaze was drawn to that particular spot. "He brought back a message that we are expected tonight at the palace. They even have a party planned for us. It's a welcome back for us, and welcome to Mirkwood for you," Lyra's excitement exploded.

"A party? Really? That sounds like so much fun!" she twirled and laughed. "There will be new people there! I can finally meet new people! It's such a huge difference to meet new people than to be stuck with the old ones like Calanon!"

"Hey! What does that mean?" He made a face of mock insult. They all knew that it was a joke so his face only made things all the more amusing. "That really hurts you know." He put a hand to his heart, making a pained face as he did. Alya rolled her eyes and Lyra doubled over hugging her stomach, laughing.

"It means that your face is getting a bit old Calanon! Time for some new faces!" His eyebrows shot past his hairline and he reached out to her, taking a hold of her cheeks.

"Now what are you trying to imply?" he asked her jokingly, stretching her face. "I'm still in my prime you know!"

"Yu know vat I vent," Lyra forced out, her face looking more and more oval like to the side. "Ret go!" Calanon laughed and released her. She took a few steps back and rubbed her cheeks. They were now more than red with the pinching. She gave him a look that said, 'meanie,' before snorting in laughter. She was obviously trying extremely hard to hold it in. Calanon only shrugged and looked to lady Alya, who in turn, looked from her child, to her husband.

Idrhenion watched them for a few moments more when he felt that his wife's eyes were on him. He took that as his cue and he cut in, placing his hands on his daughter's thin shoulders. Her laughter died almost immediately as she stared up at her father curiously.

"Now that we're settled on who gets the extra sweets, why don't we clean you up, hmm?" Lady Alya was jolted back to reality. She looked over her daughter and her smile quickly turned into an ugly frown as her eyes searched her child. Lyra felt herself cringing over her stare. She hated when her mother worried about appearances. People were born to look one way so why put so much effort in trying to change it? Whenever she asked, her mother would always say that tweaking your looks will make you look even better than you were before. Lyra thought that it was a nice way to think of things, but she still hated dressing up so much. She would much rather be out in the woods, training or doing something of equal activity- in other words, something productive. Tweaking took too much time, too much valuable time that could be used for other things that were much more useful. Sometimes she wondered if it was easier to be a boy. They certainly didn't seem to have to prepare as much as women. Lyra was young, but even she noticed that the male elves were always ready to leave to whatever adventure awaited them first. They didn't seem to need the, _tweaking_, as her mother called it, as much as the she-elves.

"You're very right," Alya said as she looked over her daughter, placing a hand on her and lifting the wet rag of training clothes that was still hanging around Lyra. "She could definitely use some- tweaking," She cast a meaningful glance into Lyra's eyes and she felt herself groan. Her mother did that on purpose. She completely used that word with the full intention of making her squirm.

"I just need to dry off a little naneth," she objected. "I can go to the party the way I am. I'm just wet, is all." Her mother looked horrified at the very suggestion, making Lyra raise her eyebrows. She was then rapped over the head with her mother's knuckles. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, rubbing her noggin. "What was that about naneth?" Her mother sighed.

"You my dear, cannot go to a royal banquet dressed like that," She pointed down at the girl and Lyra followed the path of the delicate finger. Her mother acted like she was wearing something out of the garbage dump. The way she held her nose up in distaste was a little strange- alright, more than a little strange. She really didn't see anything wrong. Clothes like these were what she wore every day. From what she could see, they weren't dirty, they didn't smell bad either. The dip in the pond had helped with that and the design was nice and simple. There really wasn't much to complain about from Lyra's point of view.

"What's wrong with this?" she inquired, utterly and deeply confused. "I look fine don't I? As I said, I'm just wet," Her mother looked ready to throw herself to the ground and have a fit. When she looked to her husband and Calanon, they looked like they might just fall to the ground at any moment and start laughing.

"Don't blame her too much," Lord Idrhenion said, stifling a chuckle that almost escaped his lips. "This will be her first time to a real party- a banquet at the royal palace no less! She doesn't know what it's like." Lyra pursed her lips. She was beginning to get very annoyed.

"What it's like?" Lyra frowned slightly. "Why would it be any different than the parties that we always have?" Her parents stared at each other, exasperated. Calanon decided that he might as well spare them and answer the inquisitive young elf in their place.

"It's what it sounds like Lyra," he told her patiently. "It's a party at the palace. It's not like the parties that we held within our immediate friends. We show off our best sides and we share in more- graceful surroundings." Lyra nodded her head slowly although it was completely obvious that she didn't understand anything that Calanon was saying. Alya sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Let's just leave it at, you'll know what the banquet is like when we get there hmm?" Lyra nodded again, albeit this time a little sulkily.

"Okay. So what are we waiting for?" It was an attempt to brush off getting cleaned up and her parents saw right through it. When she was sliding away from the three of them, her mother clamped down on her in a tight grip that didn't suit the beautiful features of the elf.

"Not so fast Lyra," she said sternly. "Did you really think that you could get away with it just like that? You're coming with me to get yourself cleaned up!"

"But naneth-" she started.

"No buts!" she cut in fiercely, making her daughter jump. "You spend all that time training and riding and running through the forest. The only time you are actually indoors is when you are studying. Even then you never paid any attention to being a lady! You are most unladylike and this I will not stand for!" When she felt eyes on her, she whipped her head up to find that her husband and the captain were staring at her. When they noticed her gaze on them, they quickly averted their eyes. Alya felt her anger stirring within her chest. "Don't you two go about acting like you have nothing to do with it!" she practically screamed. Her voice drew curious gazes toward them and Idrhenion was quick to raise a calming hand, trying to stop his wife.

"Now, now dear, let's not yell" She glared at him and he clammed up immediately.

"You two are always having her train or learn things that you boys learn. She had no time for things that ladies do," she huffed and took her daughter's hand, not un-gently and led her away in the opposite direction in which Lyra came. "It's about time that Lyra should learn to be more like a she-elf, especially now that she's going to be in the presence of royalty."

Lyra stared back at her father and Calanon as she was led away, her eyes pleading for an excuse to get her out of what was to come. They shrugged at her helplessly. When Lady Alya goes into this mode, there was no stopping her. She decided to resign to her fate and allowed herself to be shuffled away into the woods. Her mother didn't say anything, but within a little while of walking, she heard the sound of running water. They emerged moments later to a wide river. Lyra realized after a few seconds that they had passed this river earlier on. She looked a little further down and saw that a few of elves from the caravan were bathing in the waters.

Her mother gestured at the water and Lyra knew what needed to be done. With a sigh, she stripped down to a light shift that she wore under her clothes and dived into the water. It wasn't cold, the water. It was pleasantly warm, just like the woods themselves. She ducked her head underneath and saw nothing but the riverbed a few meters below her, clear blue water and the occasional fish. She rose back to the surface and she swam over to the shallow bank where her mother was waiting. She took the girl's black hair and started scrubbing at it with a soap of flower oils and herbs. There was silence for a few moments and Alya was the first to break it.

"You know," she said as she ran her fingers through Lyra's hair. "The prince's birthday is tomorrow." The elfling looked back at her mother curiously.

"Really? So we were born on the same day one hundred years apart," Her mother nodded and there was a light pause. "What's he like? I know that he's good with weapons. It's only befitting a prince of an elven nation after all. Is he nice?" Alya paused, seeming to ponder the question.

"Well, when we left, he was a very shy boy, to the point of timid really. I'm sure that he's grown out of it. His age now requires him to be a part of the court at some points so I'm positive that he's more confident. I heard that he's quite popular now so I'm assuming that means he's nice," She peeked at her daughter's face. "Does that answer your question?" Lyra smiled.

"Yeah. It will be nice to meet him," she winced as her mother tugged a little too hard near the top, but the moment was gone almost as soon as it came. Her mother had moved down to scrub at her daughter's bare arms and back, the sweet scent of the oils filling the air. There was quiet after that. Lyra didn't want to disturb her mother while she was at work and in turn, her mother couldn't think of much to say. Alya knew she would have to hurry though, she could already feel her daughter fidgeting under her.

"Just a little longer meleth," she said. It unfortunately, did nothing to still the impatient tremors, but it did encourage her to go a little faster. She finished in almost half the time and Lyra leaped back into the water, splashing her a bit as she disappeared, reappearing a few meters away. She swam back immediately after seeing her mother's look, and climbed out of the river, her clothes clinging to her. Her mother passed her a towel and she rubbed herself with it until she was dry. She let her hair stay a little damp. The warm air would dry it soon anyway. When she went over to her training clothes that her mother had hung up, Alya hissed.

"What do you think you're doing Lyra Silverleaf?" she barked. Her daughter jumped and looked at her tunic and breeches to her mother's fiery gaze.

"Um- getting dressed?" she answered. Her mother laughed and wagged her finger.

"Oh no! Remember? You can't go to a banquet dressed like that!" She smiled. "You shall wear a nice gown!" Lyra gaped.

"Uh, naneth," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I don't know if you forgot, but I don't have one." There was no need for one in the Blue Mountains where she practically trained every day. A dress was a nuisance and waste of space. Then again, many of the ladies still owned dresses. It was mostly because they brought it with them though. Her mother's next words, almost made her want to smack her head against the surrounding trees.

"Don't worry about that sweetheart!" she chirped cheerfully. "That's why I had _Alassiel _sew you one!" Lyra groaned, exasperated.

"Naneth! Is that really necessary? I'm sure that Alassiel had better and more important things to do." Her mother shook her head.

"As a matter of fact, she was most honored to be able to sew a dress for you. First time she did it for an elfling." Her mother went over to a tree a little further away and eyed the different branches, nooks and crannies. She mumbled something to herself, but Lyra didn't hear it. "She said that it would be a nice challenge for her." She snapped her fingers and pulled a wrapped parcel from a hole in the tree and sauntered back over. "Here you go sweetie," she handed the package to Lyra who hesitated for a moment. "I'm sure that you know what it is." Lyra nodded and gingerly detached the paper, making sure to not rip it. She wanted to save it for later. Her mother or someone else could probably use it again although for what, she didn't know. When the paper finally came away, she couldn't help but gasp. Lyra stood up and held the dress in front of her. Lyra was never much of a lady as her mother said, but even she couldn't resist the fabric art in front of her.

The dress was made with a dazzling silver cloth, accented with gold trimmings to match her eyes. It was quite long so when she pressed it to her body, it hung down to the floor. There was a crisscross of golden string across the front, allowing it to be tightened or loosened around Lyra's developing and currently nonexistent figure. Long flowing sleeves and a v-neck opening completed the look. Lyra stared, stunned while her mother eagerly awaited an answer.

"Well Lyra?" she said, trying to coax an answer from her. "How do you like it?" Lyra looked up at her, her eyes shining.

"I never thought that I'd say this but, I love this dress!" Her mother laughed and took it from her.

"Beautiful isn't it?" She flapped it in the air and the red glare of remaining sunlight caught on the fabric, making it shine. "Let's get you in it shall we?" Lyra hesitated for a moment, but catching sight of her mother's radiant smiling face, she felt that she couldn't say no. Grinning and nodding enthusiastically, she completely surrendered herself to her mother to do as she willed with her clothes.

* * *

The way the dress looked was one thing, the way it felt, was another. Lyra wasn't saying that the dress felt bad, it actually felt quite good. The fabric was feather light on her skin and it was like running your hand through water whenever you touched it. Elven fabric was prized for its' comfort after all. No. It was how it got in the way with her movement. She could no longer flip or run through the trees. She was stuck at an infuriating walk. It was a little better when she was riding _Raina_, but not by much. Her mother was afraid that if she rode too fast, the fabric will snag on branches that hung into the road. Even though her parents and Calanon and practically everyone in the camp said it looked exquisite on her, she already wanted it off. Her mother had attacked her earlier on. Almost as soon as the dress was over her head, she was dragged back to camp where she was showered with compliments. Afterwards, she was whisked away to a tent where her mother spent at least half an hour doing her hair and touching some perfumes to tactful places around her body. Lyra complained bitterly but it was too no avail. At least they were moving for the palace. That was good news.

Lyra exercised her patience as they went towards the castle. The sun had sunk below the horizon not too long ago and the moon was just rising. The lights were lit and they travelled along the road in apprehensive chatter. All were excited to go home, but the threat of the spiders living here compelled them all to keep watch- all except Lyra. Her parents had tactfully neglected to tell her about them. Lyra hated anything that had too many eyes and legs. Spiders were the worst for her. One time when a small one showed up in her room, she practically fainted. Only the fear of the fact that it might crawl on her kept her awake and watchful. Their worries soon appeared to be fruitless as the light of the palace came rising up to meet them and the darkness of the forest diminished.

The elfling's parents looked over at their child to see how she was doing. Lyra's eyes were bright and her whole body was raised with anticipation. She was ready to meet her future. They could tell.

* * *

Legolas paced around the hall, his whole body giving off an air of impatience. It was no help that he had cakes just before either. His mother asked him to taste them and they were delicious! As expected of Mirkwood's top chef. The only problem was that any elfling was unable to stay still after one. He ran down the length of the hall and came to a stop in front of his father. "Ada," he said respectfully. Thranduil nodded his acknowledgement and permission to speak. "When are they coming? The sun has already set." The king laughed and waved away a servant who was bringing him a snack.

"They should be here soon. Be patient. It's not like we know the exact time that they will be arriving." Legolas sighed and tapped his foot against the stone floor.

"It's hard to be patient. You should know to ada. Isn't Lord Idrhenion your best friend?" Thranduil chuckled and straightened the silver, elven crown on Legolas' head.

"I am actually very anxious for his arrival," he said. "It's hard to wait but you must bear it- all right?" Legolas shrugged, resignedly and sat down on the stairs to the throne.

"I will ada. Sorry for the trouble." Thranduil almost jerked back in his seat. His son was apologizing for being impatient of his own free will? Was he sick? He didn't have time to dwell on it however, for an elf came running into the room, waving his hands in the air.

"They have arrived! Lord Idrhenion and Lady Alya have arrived with their caravan!" Legolas stood upright as Thranduil was already meeting the messenger halfway.

"Really? They're here?" The messenger nodded.

"They are approaching the palace now! What should I say to them?" Thranduil seemed to ponder the question, momentarily tapping his temple. Coming to a conclusion, he gestured towards the door.

"Please lead them in. I'll receive them in the hall." The messenger darted away immediately and wove his way back to the door through many bodies. By now, the calls of the messenger had alerted every elf within the vicinity and they all flocked to the hall, eagerly awaiting their old friends. Legolas looked up at his father whose eyes were shining. The prince felt his own excitement bubbling and it was only his mother's hand on his shoulder that kept him from doing something embarrassing. His father turned back to Legolas and said in a joyful voice, "I told you they would be here soon."

The elfling rolled his eyes and allowed himself to be placed in the throne for the prince as his mother and father both took a seat. Now that the time came for him to meet his own vassal, he was filled with a sense of unnatural peace. He fixed his eyes on the door and did the only thing that he could do- wait.

* * *

"Please follow me!" said an eccentric elf in clothing that looked several sizes too big. "The king would love to receive you in the Great Hall!" Lyra watched him as he rapidly shook hands with her father and mother, before he came to her. His eyes widened as he looked at her. Why would he do that? 'Was there something on my face?' she thought. "Is this your daughter my lord?" he asked. Idrhenion nodded.

"Indeed, she is," He looked back at her and smiled. "Introduce yourself Lyra." She jumped a little before turning to the elf and bowed slightly atop her horse.

"I'm Lyra Silverleaf, first she-elf vassal to the Greenleaf family. It's a pleasure." The messenger laughed.

"So polite. You will fit in quite well here," Unbeknownst to the elf, at the same time, Lyra's parents were shaking their heads. She seemed mild-mannered now, but it gets a whole lot worse when she was allowed free rein. The messenger glided lightly back to the front and beckoned them forwards so that they were right outside the door. Lyra's parents dismounted gracefully and she followed suit, after some difficulties. Her dress restricted her leg movement so on the way down, she nearly took herself out. She only managed to save herself by grabbing hold of Raina's withers and scrambling for a foothold in the ground. A few of the elves who noticed her blunder snickered, but nothing too serious. When she looked up at her horse, it snorted. She glared at the creature. Raina was laughing at her.

"Funny. Very funny," she grumbled and the horse merely tossed her head. A few stable hands came over and led the horses away while the messenger at the front rubbed his hands eagerly. Lyra half-walked, half-stumbled over to her parents and her mother looked down at her disapprovingly. Lyra made a face. What did she expect her to do? This was her first time wearing a dress. Thankfully, there was no time to discuss the matter of Lyra's poor skills of walking in a dress for the great door opened and the messenger announced to a huge crowd of smiling elves, "Elves of Mirkwood! I present to you our friends from years past that have now returned to their home. Please welcome back, the Silverleaf's, Captain Calanon and the attendants of the castle." There was an eruption of applause, but it did not last long. It died quickly when a tall figure stepped forward.

Lyra didn't know how to describe him. He was tall and slim like all elves. Her eyes darted to her father and then back to the figure. They seemed to be around the same height. Both their eyes sparkled while the new guy's were a brilliant light blue and her father's were a sparkling dark green. Again, there was contrasting color found in their hair. Her father's was raven black, just like hers, and the other ones hair was so blond, it was almost white. All in all, she guessed that she really had no opinion on the man other than that he looked like her dad in a way and with the sort of aura that seemed to surround him, he looked like he would make a good dad. She had no idea how close she was to the truth. The words the mystery elf and her father spoke next, shocked her to no end.

"Welcome back, mellon-nin," the one in front of her said, a childish grin on his face. "I have not seen you for a long time. I'm glad that you're back." Her father nodded, a smile on his lips.

"I am glad to be back in your realm, King Thranduil," Lyra's jaw almost dropped. The king? Okay. She would admit that he looked kingly with his crown and regal clothing, but the king? Never in a thousand years would she have thought he was the king, and elves live past that age! He just looked so- ditzy. "I have missed your company." There was a moment of silence in which the formalities absorbed, but then the king laughed and clasped his arm with Lyra's father.

"Don't be so stiff, Idrhenion," Thranduil laughed. "You are in the presence of friends after all!" He swept his arm across the hall as the elves in attendance all shouted their agreement. Lyra was almost reeling. She was in the presence of so many people. She had never before seen so many people all in one place, ever! Thranduil peeked over and seemed to notice her mother and Calanon. "Lady Alya, it is a pleasure to see you again," she bowed curtly.

"The pleasure is all mine Thranduil." He then turned to Calanon.

"Your majesty," The young captain bowed and the king merely smiled, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Welcome back Calanon." There was a moment of silence and then they laughed, slapping each other on the back. A moment later, seemingly completely by accident, he turned and noticed Lyra for the first time, who was still staring at him in confusion. He smiled and she snapped back to reality, desperately trying to hide the fact that she was staring.

"Now. Is this Lyra?" he asked. Idrhenion nodded.

"Yes. Lyra Silverleaf. Our daughter and soon to be vassal to young Legolas." Lyra tried to curtsy, but unfortunately, she stepped on her dress and stumbled a bit. Her mother's hand thankfully prevented her from going too far. She felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment.

"At your service your majesty," she mumbled. Thranduil clapped his hands together with a small laugh.

"Thank you Lyra. Why! Enough with the formalities!" He turned to address the whole room. "My friends have returned from the Blue Mountains after one hundred and fifty years! I'm sure all of you remember my vassal, Lord Idrhenion- his wife, Lady Alya, and my captain of the guard, Calanon." Each of them bowed and in return, was greeted with thunderous applause. He silenced them all with one hand and then placed it on Lyra's head. "We also have a new face today. The daughter of my most loyal friends, Lyra Silverleaf." The applause of welcome was just as loud as her parent's before her. She felt herself smile. She had never been greeted this way before. The crowd parted slightly so that they could see the thrones. "Let me introduce you to Legolas," he said to her gently. She suddenly felt a little shy so she looked around, trying to avoid eye contact. It would seem that it wasn't as desperate to avoid her, for almost immediately after she decided to look away, her eyes locked with someone else's.

* * *

Legolas tapped his foot impatiently against the hard stone floor as he tried to see who his father was talking to. He managed to catch sight of Lord Idrhenion, Lady Alya and Captain Calanon, but he couldn't see his vassal. He knew she was there. His father's vassal had just mentioned it. In the end, he came to the conclusion that the girl must be shorter than him, otherwise he would be able to see her. His fidgeting caught the attention of his mother who flicked him in the ear. He sat up straight in momentary surprise and she raised her eyebrows at him. Immediately, it prompted him to stay still.

His chance would come. The crowd soon parted and he had a clear view of his father, and his friends. A moment later, he saw a girl. She looked awfully familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on it. The girl had midnight black hair and also the small figure he predicted. That must be Lyra. He watched her face as she looked around, avoiding eye contact when completely by accident, she looked at him. Their eyes met and comprehension dawned on the girl's face and Legolas was sure the same thing happened to him. They were both having the same thought. They were in the clearing together.

Legolas leapt to his feet. "YOU!" Both of them hollered at the same time. They were strangely, in the same position. Hand raised and finger out, pointing incredulously at their counterpart. Feet separated and faces alight with a look of complete disbelief. There was silence following the outburst as the parents looked on, confused. The prince, finally realizing what he was doing, slowly turned to look at his mother. She glared down at him. Her gaze seemed to be telling him that he was going to have some explaining to do. He cringed. This was not good. He withdrew his finger and stood straight. Thranduil and the Silverleaf's were just as puzzled as Legolas' mother. It made no sense. This was Lyra's first time in Mirkwood. There was just no way that the two elflings ever had a chance to meet each other, or, that was what they thought.

Seeing everyone's eyes on them, Lyra quickly stuck her hands to her side and submitted to the awkward silence that continued to stretch. Thranduil thankfully broke it after deciding that it was allowed to go on for too long. "Well," he started cheerfully. "I'm glad that you two have had the chance to meet," He turned to all the other elves. "Thank you all for your time. The food is out and you are free to enjoy." He swept his arm out and for a moment, no one moved. Then, after a fake cough from the queen, they all dissipated and mingled into their own little groups. The Silverleaf's and Calanon, after a puzzled look sent in the direction of Lyra, went off on their own as well. Legolas took the opportunity to get away. His mother gave him a look that said it wasn't over, but let him go. It was a special occasion after all.

Lyra broke away equally quickly, hiding herself in the crowd of taller people. She was so embarrassed. Now that she realized the boy from the clearing was the prince, she couldn't believe that she treated him with such familiarity. She even scolded him! Placing her hands in her hair, she shook her head. She practically ruined things before they even started! 'He must be furious with me,' she thought. 'I have to make amends before things get worse!' She looked around when a hand touched her shoulder. She squeaked in surprise and she grabbed the arm to throw it, but she was pulled back before she could do anything.

"Sheesh," said a voice that she distinctly recognized. "Why is it that when we meet, you seem to want to hurt me, kill me or something along those lines?" She turned and found herself face to face with the young prince. Her face instantly colored and she tried to say something, but all that come out was incoherent stammering. Legolas rolled his eyes and pulled her away.

"Come on! Don't just stand there stuttering!" He dragged her over to the tables and plucked two cakes from their places on the plate and led her away to a more quiet area of the room. He sat down with a sigh and held out one of the cakes to her. "Here," he jiggled the dessert and when she didn't take it, he sighed. "Come on! It's really good! You know you want it!" Lyra paused before reaching out and tentatively taking the dessert. Legolas smiled as she thanked him.

"I'm sorry Prince Legolas," she said meekly. The prince's hand stopped, halfway to his mouth.

"Huh?" Lyra gulped and took a breath.

"I'm sorry for barging in on your secret spot and almost killing you and yelling at you and scolding you and treating you with such disrespect and running away and leaving you there and everything that I may have done to offend you!" She gasped and breathed in, panting from the effort. Legolas snickered. She had let it out all in one breath and was now red in the face.

"Don't worry about it," he told her. "I'm glad that you treated me that way. Too much respect gets stuffy and boring. I'm glad that there is someone here who will freely give me a piece of their mind." Lyra looked at him incredulously. She was expecting a scolding.

"Aren't you mad your highness?" Legolas suddenly frowned.

"I will be if you keep addressing me with those titles- prince and your highness. I don't need that. Legolas will do."

"But," Lyra started.

"Legolas will do," he stated firmly. He was young but there was already an air about him that made him impossible to refuse. Lyra nodded.

"Right. Legolas." He smiled and slapped her on the back, nearly making her drop the cake.

"There we go! Lose the formalities! You're my vassal right? Let's become friends like our father's before us." Lyra hesitated for one moment, but after seeing the bright smile on his face, she found it hard to say no.

"Okay." A small smile made its way onto her face and there was a moment of silence as they enjoyed each other's quiet companionship. Lyra thought that she felt eyes on the side of her face and when she turned to look, Legolas was eyeing her. "Is there something on my face?" He shook his head.

"Nope. I was just wondering if you were going to eat that." He pointed at the cake that was nestled invitingly in her hand. Lyra's jaw dropped and she shoved him away.

"Of course I'm going to eat it!" She rammed it into her mouth and was overcome with a momentary sense of pleasure. She had never tasted anything so good. When she looked back over at Legolas, he was pouting.

"That was mean," he said. Lyra's face went blank.

"You deserved it." He frowned.

"That was also mean."

"Again, you deserved it." They glared at each other for a few moments and Legolas looked away first.

"Fine. I deserved it. It was still mean though," Lyra raised an eyebrow.

"You're letting me win?" He shrugged.

"It's your first time in Mirkwood. I believe you deserve some kind of special treatment for the day." Lyra seethed.

"Hey! That's not fair! Treat me proper-"

"Mellon, you hear that?" The girl stopped. Whether it was because he called her melon or because of his reference to sound, she would never know. Lyra nodded. It was a hearty, elven tune. Most of the music of elves were fitting of great halls and were smooth and graceful. This was one of the rare ones where it made a tune that was perfect for dancing and frolicking. Legolas smiled and grabbed her hand, all signs of the previous spat forgotten. "Come on Lyra! Let's get moving!" He pulled her to her feet and she heavily protested!

"W-Wait! Legolas!" She tried to stop, but with not a lot of success. "I can't dance in this dress! Heck! I can't dance even when I'm not wearing a dress!" He snorted and more or less ignored her.

"Nonsense! Just follow my lead! You're going to have to learn proper dancing later and besides, this song doesn't call for proper dancing!" Lyra had no choice. She was tugged through the crowd until Legolas finally stopped and twirled her around. She bit back a scream of surprise as they world was sent spinning around her. He stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders. She bit back an angry remark.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she demanded. He shrugged.

"You can handle weapons but you can't handle a dance? Come on! I know you can do better!" She bit the inside of her cheek.

"Fine! Just watch me!" Lyra exerted as much effort as she could and timed herself to the music and Legolas' footsteps. She was still barely avoiding tripping and falling on her face, but as the music went on, she found her feet moving easier. The dress no longer seemed to be getting in her way and her legs weren't getting in a tangle every time she turned. Eventually, she started to think less and began to enjoy it, even letting out a laugh. Legolas guided her along, making sure that she wouldn't cause bodily harm to herself or others by accident. They didn't know how long they were doing it, but they were stopped by the sudden lack of lively music in the room. It went back to being graceful and serene. When Lyra looked up at the prince, he looked a little disappointed. She could only assume that that expression was on her face as well. She wouldn't exactly admit it, but she enjoyed the dance very much. It was the first time where she didn't crash and burn. They just stood there awkwardly until a few figures glided through the crowd.

"Lyra, Legolas," It was Alya and Mirima. The two elflings hastily bowed. Lyra almost slipped again but Legolas' hand kept her stable. She lightly nodded her thanks, but whether he saw it or not, she didn't know.

"Naneth," Both of them said in respect to their mothers. They smiled.

Alya held out her hand for Lyra to take, and she did after a moment. "Let us go to your room. It has been prepared for you."

"But naneth," she started, looking back over at Legolas. "The night hasn't ended yet." Her mother shook her head.

"It has for you. Come," She was about to argue, but there really was no point. When she glanced back at Legolas, he was giving her a helpless shrug as his mother led him away as well.

"Yes naneth," Her mother gently led her through the halls, light flickering above them. Lyra had no idea where they were going. The hallways seemed to stretch on forever. With a pang of regret, she realized she wouldn't be able to run off on her own. She would get lost, for sure! She had no choice but to go along with everyone else. Her mind drifted into a daydream and she barely noticed when they finally came to a room.

"Lyra," said her mother, rousing her from her daydream. She turned to her, a smile on her face.

"Yes naneth?" she rubbed her eyes involuntarily. She was quite tired all of a sudden. It was probably the after effects of all the blood rushing through her body during the dance.

"Take a look at your new room," Lyra blinked and looked around her, her eyes widening.

"Oh wow!" she exclaimed, a wide grin on her face. "This place is huge! Is this bed really for one person? How many people can sleep in here? I'll never have that many clothes! Why is the bathroom so big? Hey! It has a place for my weapons!" She held onto the front of her dress so that her bare legs were showing and ran across the room. She had no choice in the matter. If she didn't hold up her skirt, she would be face first on the ground. Her mother shook her head good naturedly and went over to the cupboard.

"Do you like it?" Lyra nodded.

"I love it! It's so different from the cottage we had at the Blue Mountains," Alya rummaged through the drawers absentmindedly.

"It's good that you like it. It's yours now," Lyra's jaw dropped and she punched the air.

"All right!" Alya rolled her eyes to heaven and pulled out a long shirt.

"Think fast Lyra!" she called and hurled it in her direction. The elfling turned and caught it easily. She looked at it quizzically.

"Isn't this my sleepwear?" she asked. Her mother nodded.

"All your things were brought here and put away while the party was going on. Get changed and go to bed." Lyra nodded and quickly switched clothes. She ran a few circles in front of the bed and sighed with comfort. She was so glad to be out of the dress. There was so much more freedom. She went over and hugged her mother before crawling under the covers. Alya removed Lyra's hairpiece and picked up her clothes, tucking them all away. She gently kissed her daughter's hair before walking to the door.

"Naneth," Lyra whispered, stopping her mother.

"Yes sweetheart?" She thought she could see a smile touch the elfling's lips.

"I'm glad I'm here. It's going to be so much fun," Alya smiled, stepping out and closing the door carefully behind her.

"I'm sure it will be, Lyra."

* * *

Legolas had watched Lyra leave moments before and was now being herded back to his own room. He couldn't really complain about it. His mother was rather stiff and there was silence. He knew that this was the calm before the storm. His mother wanted to say something and it was coming. He knew that if he decided to complain, it would only make things worse. Walking through the empty halls was strange. There would normally be at least one person that was roaming about, but not tonight. Everyone was at the banquet. He and Lyra were singled out for rest since they were the only young ones there.

They arrived at Legolas' room with no delay and he immediately set out to look for his night clothes. "Meleth," Mirima said quietly. Legolas stiffened. It was the slightest movement of the shoulders, but it was there.

"Yes naneth?" She took a breath and hardened herself. She never enjoyed reprimanding her son, but he needed to learn to behave right. He was mature beyond his years, but he still did stupid things. It would have been fine for a while, but lying was one thing she couldn't stand.

"I know you were excited, but there are some things that are just unacceptable," His shoulders slumped as he felt his mother's eyes bore into his back. "I know that you can't stay still so getting at least a little dirty is normal, but lying about it is not tolerated. I have no power if you do it to others, but lying to me is inexcusable. Do it again and a suitable punishment will be laid out. Understand?" Legolas bit his lip. He was in a lot deeper than he thought.

"I understand. I'm sorry." The Queen stared at her son long and hard until Legolas felt himself sweat under the intense gaze, then she smiled and smoothed her son's hair.

"Good. I'm glad that you see now," she kissed his forehead and walked towards the door. "Sorry dear but I know that you are aware of the need for good discipline." He nodded again but said nothing. He took off his crown and placed it on top the dresser. His mother stepped out the room and was about to close the door when she peeked back in, smiling. "Legolas?" He turned, confused at her new tone of voice.

"What is it?" She waved her hand airily, in a nonchalant way.

"What did you think of Lyra?" He drew back a little. What was there to say?

"She seems nice, although I can't really say anything. I just met her after all. I think that we'll be good friends." Alya nodded, satisfied. She really didn't expect much. They just met, but his answer made her happy. He had no real friends in Mirkwood. She would do him good.

"Why don't you take her out to show her the sights tomorrow?" she suggested. "It will give you guys a chance to get to know each other. It will also make a great birthday gift." Legolas seemed to ponder the suggestion before breaking out in a smile.

"Good idea naneth. I'll do that." Alya nodded with a smile and closed the door.

"Wonderful"


	4. Chapter 3: Together Starting Today

**Wow! I am so tired! Typing these things are fun but I kill myself in the process! XD I hope you're enjoying the story and special thanks to Aranel Mereneth and Teenagewasteland for their time looking into mine! Thanks for your continued support everyone! :D The way they ride is based off of the movies, not the books so don't mention anything about elves not supposed to have saddles and bridles if you review. By the way, sorry for the long time since updates! Winter break is now and I have to start worrying about exams soon. Sorry!**

**Chapter 3- Together Starting Today **

_Walking through a garden path, Lyra felt truly at ease. The sun was shining high in the sky, but she didn't know what time it was. The trees were bending gently in the wind and she could feel it on her skin. All around her, there were flowers and all sorts of plants. It made her happy. She was, for some reason, wearing a beautiful gown, but she was not tripping over it, even though it extended far across the ground. She glided over the cobblestones as easily as if she was wearing her favorite tunic and breeches. She sighed, an overwhelming sense of peace seeped into her body, giving her the feeling of drunken happiness. Taking another step, she heard something in the air. Cupping her ear and screwing up her face, she tried to panel the sound so that it came easier. It travelled over the wind again and this time, it was loud enough for her to hear. _

"_Lyra," the voice said. She recognized it. _

"_Prince Legolas," she said back to it. The voice seemed to sigh. _

"_Yes, it's me. Legolas. Not prince Legolas." She nodded. _

"_Okay. Legolas." She cocked her head. What a weird dream. Why was the prince in her head? _

"_Good. Now that we have that established, time for you to wake up!" She crinkled her nose. _

"_What are you talking about? I'm already awake!" She heard a growl and suddenly she felt her world start to shake. _

"_Geez Lyra! Wake up! Stop doing that!" She tried to fight the voice, but found she couldn't. The colorful world around her dissolved and she was flung into darkness, and then light. _

She shot up in her bed, pushing something away and was about to scream when a hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled but was immediately restrained. "Lyra," someone hissed. Her eyebrows knit together in annoyance. Legolas. "Just stay still!" She craned her head to look at him and she glared. He smiled at her. "Good morning!" he said happily. "You are quite a vivid dreamer aren't you?" She brought her hand up to his and pulled it off her mouth.

"What do you think you are you doing in my room, on my bed, uninvited Legolas?" she snarled. Her eyes went from his face to the window. She wasn't surprised that it was open. She left it that way last night after all. No- what she was surprised about was the fact that it was still dark. The sun wasn't even in sight yet. The only light came from the elven lanterns set up everywhere on the grounds, creating a ghostly glow. "No. What the heck are you doing in my room uninvited, on my bed, this early?" He hurriedly put a finger to her lips.

"Shh!" He looked around. Lyra's voice had risen with every word that she said so that by the time that she was done, she was almost screaming. "Look," he said with his finger still on her lips. He hastily removed it after seeing that Lyra was just about ready to bite it off. "My apologies. It was wrong of me as a prince to enter without permission. I am extremely sorry." The smile he had, faded. He got off her bed and bowed smoothly. She stared at him for a few moments. It was definitely wrong and breached all forms of etiquette to appear in a girl's room without an invitation, especially when it was still dark outside. She was a little angry and more than a little embarrassed, but he was sincere in his apology. She already realized that he was an unruly prince anyway so she might as well get used to it. Might as well accept his apology since it was so kindly thrown out to her.

"Apology accepted," she said grumpily, rubbing her sleep drunken eyes. Legolas' smiled immediately came back on his face and Lyra felt herself smiling a bit as well. "What are you doing in here anyway? How did you get in? How did you know my room was here?" Legolas muffled a laugh in his gauntlet.

"Wow. You talk a lot in your dream and now you have a bunch of questions when you wake up." Lyra sighed and threw a cushion at him. It hit him squarely in the face.

"Shut up," she mumbled. He pulled the pillow of his face and placed it back on the bed.

"Not very ladylike now are you?" Lyra chose to ignore the comment.

"Just answer the questions." He shrugged and pushed back a few hairs that had come out of place after he had taken the pillow to the face.

"Well, the window is wide open isn't it?" He threw his arms out wide and gestured toward the outside. "It was so inviting that I couldn't refuse." She rolled her eyes, but the faintest of smiles touched her lips.

"What about the answers to my other questions?" Legolas crossed his arms back over his chest.

"I saw your mom leaving this room last night," he told her. "My room is next door." Lyra nodded, slightly perturbed. What the heck did Legolas think that he was doing and why the heck did their parents decided to put them so close to each other? Wasn't it improper, if even slightly? As soon as she thought it, she discarded it. If you thought about it, it was appropriate enough. As a vassal specifically for the prince, she would have to be close to him at all times. Her job is to protect him after all.

Grumbling softly, she rubbed her eyes. "Okay then. Your room is next to mine, but what are you doing here. I'm tired and I want to sleep. Don't you want to sleep?" Lyra suddenly gasped and glared at him. "Or are you trying to do something completely inappropriate and get us in trouble?" Legolas pounced and clapped his hands over her mouth once again.

"If you keep doing this then we will get caught and we will get in trouble!" He scolded. Lyra tried to pry his hands off of her to no avail. She couldn't match the strength of a male. She said something that sounded vaguely like a curse and Legolas chuckled. "Come on. I just want to take you out for a bit." She raised an eyebrow. "To show you the sights of Mirkwood. There is a village nearby, have you seen it yet?" Lyra was slipping, Legolas could tell. She was avoiding eye contact and gave off a feeling of a newfound overall calm. He grinned. He caught her, time to reel her in. Legolas mentally smacked himself. She was not a fish! "Come on! I heard that mother was going to start your lessons today. You know, the stuff you learn in court. Etiquette, history of royalty, engagements of politics," He grinned. "All that requites wearing a dress you know."

Lyra paled. The last thing she wanted was to wear a gown. She wasn't ready! Yesterday was bad enough! She almost publicly humiliated herself in front of all those elves! Nodding hurriedly, she imitated closing her mouth, drawing a finger over it. Legolas raised an eyebrow before slowly letting her go. "Alright. Better get dressed quickly. As soon as dawn comes, it will be too late." Lyra nodded and went to her dresser before she realized that Legolas was standing there. She frowned and waved him away in a shooing motion. The prince, suddenly realizing what she meant, colored and hurried over to the front door. "Meet me in the main hall. Can you find your way there?" She nodded and he smiled, giving her a bow before slipping away into the darkness. She shook her head and right as she was about to remove her shift, he popped his head back in. "Oh! Another thing!" Lyra bit her lip to stifle a shriek and with a motion too fast for the eyes to follow, sent her pillow once again flying. Legolas dodged it just in time and covered his eyes when he came back in. "Sorry! But bring your weapons and your cloak with you!"

"I know!" she hissed. "I'm not an idiot and unlike you, I do have some common sense!" He snickered.

"Touché." Lyra sighed and managed a small grin.

"I know. I'll see you in the hall in ten minutes. Is that acceptable?" Legolas smiled.

"Completely." Without another word, he disappeared. Lyra waited a few moments, just to see if he was going to pull another unsuspecting blunder. When none came, she removed her nightgown and hurriedly dressed in the semi-darkness. Pulling on her boots, she grabbed her weapons last, peeking out the door of her room. She was just about ready to step out when she thought better of it. Going back to her bedside, she rummaged through the drawers until she found the one that carried a quill, ink and some parchment. Scribbling a note as fast as she could, she nearly spilled the ink. With sudden trembling fingers at the excitement of running off so early in the morning, she folded the note and set it on her pillow. She had never done something like this before, and the mere idea sent tremors of excitement through her body.

Peeking through the door once again, she counted slowly to ten. When no one appeared, she slipped out and closed it slowly. Suddenly, she was at a loss. Which way was it again? She stood there, wasting her precious time, trying to remember which way it was, then, she had it. Setting off at a run, she practically flew over the ground until she came to the grand pillars which were very hard to forget. The Main Hall. Cheering silently to herself, she stepped in. Immediately, she could see Legolas at a table. He waved her over and she complied, albeit a little apprehensively.

"That was great! You made it on time. Just barely." He pinched his fingers together and smiled. "You get lost or something?" Lyra turned away with a huff.

"You wish." He grinned before tossing something to her. In pure reflex, her hand extended and the mysterious object thudded into her gloveless hand. Raising an eyebrow, she turned it over. When she saw a small dessert sitting on her palm, she smiled. So it was breakfast huh? "Is this why you wanted me in the hall so early?"

"Not entirely. It's what comes after." He gestured for her to sit and she took the seat next to him, making sure that she was at least a foot away from the smiling prince. Legolas reached out and plucked a roll off a whole pile and tossed it into his mouth. Lyra followed his lead soon, after much reluctance. When she did, she knew that it was the right choice. The soft texture of the roll danced across her tongue and the soft buttery taste melted into her mouth. She must have had a weird expression on her face for Legolas laughed. "What's with that face?" Lyra blushed and glared hard at him.

"What face?" Legolas snorted and pointed right between her eyes.

"That face!" She scowled.

"Get your hand away from my face or you'll lose it." He immediately withdrew his hand.

"Whoa! Easy there little falcon! No need to get like that!" she frowned.

"Little falcon?" He nodded, fingering another roll before popping it into his mouth.

"Yeah. Calanon calls you that. You didn't know?" Lyra shook her head.

"He always just called me by my name. We didn't really have much use for names like that at the Blue Mountains."

"I see," was Legolas' simple reply. Silence once again reigned as the two eflings ate, their brains empty of anything relevant to say to one another. It wouldn't be able to stay that way for long however, as the bowl emptied more and more with each roll the children took care of. Eventually, they were all gone. Lyra licked a finger where a bit of the sugary sauce had run off and stood up. Legolas smiled and stood as well. "Come on! Follow me!" He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle tug before setting off at a brisk pace. It was all Lyra could do to keep up with the unexpected long strides. She didn't even have time to think of where he was dragging her. Out in the darkness, it took a few moments for her sharp eyes to adjust before she could see where they were going. This path was unfamiliar to her so she made sure to remember where she was so she wouldn't get lost. Eventually, the dull quiet of the palace began to fade and they started to hear the sounds of animals- horses specifically. Both their hearts soared. Riding was already an art treasured by the elves, and it burned especially bright in the hearts of the young. The spirits of the children were shared with the spirit of the fiery creatures. Legolas placed a finger to his lips before reaching out and slowly lifting the latch to the stables. It protested with a loud creak and both elflings winced. It sounded deafening in the silence of the night. They both stood stock still, almost waiting for a guard or someone else to come over and catch them in the act. When none came, they couldn't help but breathe a huge sigh of relief. Legolas lifted the latch the rest of the way up and held the door open a crack, he motioned for Lyra to slip in and she did, poking her head within the darkness before the rest of her body followed. She looked around and was satisfied to see that they were alone with the horses. She tapped the prince on the hand and made a gesture for him to come in as well. He was there in an instant, door closing silently behind him.

They looked at each other for a moment, each bearing a silly grin in having cheated the adults. Happy neighs alerted both of them to two stalls near the front and they just had to smile. "Hello Raina," whispered Lyra softly to her filly. "Did you miss me?" The horse nickered and tugged at the braid that hung down her mistress' back. Lyra almost yelped. "Not now Raina! Don't pull my hair!" The horse looked at her with large intelligent eyes and instead settled on rubbing her face against Lyra's chest.

Legolas watched as Lyra catapulted herself into her horse's stall and he merely shook his head, snickering before climbing over to his own. "Good morning Sûl," the prince said. The colt shook his mane and snuffled at the boy's hand for treats. He laughed. "Sorry boy. No treats today." The horse snorted and then just proceeded to chewing on some hay. Legolas went over the stall door again and grabbed Sûl's riding equipment and brushes. When he came back, he saw that Lyra had done the same and was already running the brush along her horse's back. It was a little amusing to watch since Lyra's head barely came to the horse's shoulder and she had to reach to get the back. I guess that was the disadvantage of Lyra being a head shorter than he was. "You seem to know your way around the stables," Legolas remarked. "Isn't this your first time in here?" She nodded.

"Yes, but it is set up the same way that we did it at the Blue Mountains." She looked over at him. "It's really the same in the end." The prince nodded and returned to the grooming of his horse. There, they carried on in silence. Both of them were lost in their work, and they couldn't think of anything to say to each other anyway. Soon, their horses were tacked up and Lyra led her horse out of the stall to line up with Legolas'.

"Do you need a lift Lyra?" he asked her. She raised an eyebrow.

"No. Why do you ask?" Her eyes narrowed and the young royal shifted under the scrutiny. He couldn't say it was because she was short, that would offend her. He smiled.

"Well, it's polite to help a lady onto her horse isn't it?" Lyra winced.

"Please don't call me a lady. It reminds me of the dress." Legolas snorted in laughter but walked over to Lyra and laced his fingers together, creating a step. "You don't have to Legolas. I can get up on my own." He smiled.

"How about you let me treat you like a lady for just two seconds? Hmm?" She rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Treat away!" She stepped into his hands and he boosted her up while she swung her leg over to the other side, her feet slipping into the stirrups. She nodded her thanks and Legolas merely smiled, strolling to the door and opening it before going back over to his own horse and mounting as well.

"Ready to go?" he asked her, picking up his reins and shortening them. Lyra grinned.

"Ready!" Legolas grinned in response.

"Then follow me!" He brought his heels to the side of the horse and they shot off like an arrow with Lyra close behind. The thunder of hooves echoed throughout the courtyard like a rain of rocks upon the land, but the elfings could scarcely care if they woke anyone up. They were too busy enjoying themselves. They looked past the treetops to see the sun just peeking over the horizon and they looked back at the palace that suddenly seemed so small. Lyra urged her horse forward and pulled up right alongside Legolas.

"Where are we going again?" she called over the roar of the wind. She felt so alive. The fresh morning wind in her face and her hair as she sped along the track couldn't make her happier.

"The village on the border of the forest!" he answered her. He looked at her with a wry grin. "You're going to love it! Just remember to do as I say while we're there!" She nodded slowly. Do as he said while they were there?

What in the name of Middle Earth did he mean by that?

* * *

Lord Idhrenion strode through the palace, a slight frown on his face. It was well past breakfast and his daughter was nowhere to be found. They had found a note on his girl's bed this morning. Quick and concise, she was obviously in a hurry. Normally, Idhrenion would not be worried about his daughter disappearing, but suspicious things were happening and the haste in which it was written and the mess of her normally neat handwriting, gave him a cause to fidget. He stopped suddenly when another figure came into view- his king Thranduil.

"My lord," said the elf with a bow. The king jolted slightly, as if coming out of a dream.

"Idhrenion. My friend," he whispered, laying a tired hand on the retainer's shoulder. "You didn't happen to see Legolas did you?" The Silverleaf shook his head.

"No. I was about to ask you if you have seen Lyra." The king suddenly laughed, causing the lord to jump. "Thranduil? Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes. I'm fine," he snorted. The retainer raised an irritated eyebrow.

"Then what's so funny?" Thranduil wheezed and took a deep breath, quelling the rising laugh.

"It must be Legolas. I have a feeling that my son has spirited your daughter away." Idhrenion's mouth dropped open.

"Are you serious?" At that moment, two elves came around the corner and one of them ran up to Idrhenion.

"Meleth! I can't find Lyra! Have you seen her?" He grabbed his wife's shoulders and gently rubbed them.

"It's alright. She seems to be with his highness Legolas." The she-elf opened her mouth in disbelief.

"What does she think she's doing?" Her husband kissed her forehead.

"I'm sure that they will be fine. They are both capable fighters so if something happens they can take care of themselves." Thranduil turned to his wife who was standing right behind Alya.

"They're not there are they?" she nodded.

"Both Sûl and Raina are gone. They must have decided to go somewhere a little far if both the horses are not there." The king nodded and placed a hand on both his retainers shoulders.

"They should be fine. Legolas knows this entire area well. We have some other things to attend to." His friends nodded and they all set down the hallway until they reached a small room. It was half the size of their smallest bedroom. They hurried inside and the door closed behind them as they took their seats. "Mellon-nin," Thranduil started, addressing his friend. "Please. Your report." He nodded and folded his hands on the table, taking a deep breath to start.

"The orcs are getting bold," he stated with a frown. "There is some strange activity at the mountains. Something is coming from there. An ominous force." Thranduil raised a brow.

"How so?"

"As in the entire mountain is trembling," responded Alya. "We'd get chills from the mountains, like something powerful is there. At some times it's so strong, even Lyra feels a little sick and weary and Calanon can't get out of bed." The king rested his head on the back of his hands.

"That's disturbing news indeed. Blue mountain orcs have never bothered us before, so why now?" The retainers shrugged.

"We can't be sure," Idhrenion said, "But we can find out."

"No," said Thranduil firmly. All three of the other elves stared at him incredulously. "We don't know what we are up against. Things could be dangerous so until more information is gathered, you should stay here in the capital." Idhrenion looked like he would protest, but then closed his mouth, nodding slowly. The mission, if there is one, would be even more perilous if they had no idea what they were fighting against. It was best to spend time with their daughter while they still could. There was no way in all of Middle Earth and beyond would they bring little Lyra with them. Satisfied, the king stood up and the rest followed. "I will send some of my messengers to Blue Mountains to gather information. Until they return, let us stay and enjoy ourselves."

The mood immediately lifted as Mirima took Thranduil's arm and Alya took Idhrenion's. "The celebration is to be held tonight. It's a milestone in the lives of our children," said Alya. "Lyra is turning one hundred and Legolas two hundred. The celebration is to be magnificent." With the elves all in agreement, they left the room as silently as the came. The weight of their meeting would be forgotten…

For now.

* * *

"Legolas?" Lyra questioned as they passed through the forest, the trees stretching high to the sky on either side of them.

"Hmm?" he answered, turning back to look at her. "What is it Lyra?" The young she-elf fidgeted, looking past him.

"You said that we while we're at the village, I have to do as you say? How come?" Legolas bit his lip and tapped his chin.

"Well… This is a settlement for the race of men." Lyra's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Men? Legolas! How could you go to a village of men?" The prince winced and held up his hands defensively.

"Calm down Lyra. It's not that bad. Human settlements are interesting. There are a lot of things there that we elves wouldn't even think of!" She shook her head in disbelief at the young sovereign.

"Do your parents know that you have escapades to these settlements?" There was no answer and Lyra shook her head, disbelieving. "I don't believe this! I'm heading back!"

"Lyra!" Legolas called, exasperated. "Come on! It will be fun! I've been there before. It really isn't as bad as whatever you make it out to be." She sighed, looking up to the forest canopy as if asking for guidance on how to deal with him. She was so absorbed in her task, that she never noticed the prince slowing to the same pace in which Lyra was riding. "Hey," he said, laying a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry okay? I promise you that everything will be fine. You got nothing to worry about." She raised a brow before sighing, looking away with a large pout.

"Fine." He laughed and pulled ahead once again.

"Great! Follow my lead!" he kicked his heels against his steed and they shot off. It only took one shake of the head from Lyra before she was quick to go after him.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Riding hard, she quickly pulled up next to him. He turned and gave her a cheeky grin before he sped ahead. Lyra's blinked before a huge smirk lit up her face. He was challenging her! Urging her mount with a swift kick to the side and spoken encouragement, they shot right past the young prince. The surprise on his face was obvious as she looked back. His confident smile was soon back on his face however, when he and Lyra were neck and neck. Suddenly, his hand shot out and took the reins from her hands, causing them both to come to a sudden stop. Lyra jerked in the saddle and her braid flipped over her face. Putting it back over her shoulder, she shot the prince a powerful glare.

"What the heck was that for? How about a little warning next time?" she snapped angrily. He put his finger to his lips and her mouth clamped shut, eyes roaming the woods. "Prince?"

"We're here." He grinned and dismounted, throwing up the hood of his cloak. When Lyra didn't move, he beckoned to her with his hand. "Come on. You don't want to sit up there forever do you?" She frowned, but slid off her horse's back anyway. "Here," He reached behind her and flipped up the cowl of her cloak. "There. That's to hide your ears!" He grinned and took her hand, pulling up his cloak at the same time.

"Why do we have to hide our ears?" she asked, getting tugged along behind him. "We are elves! We should be proud of our heritage!" He suddenly stopped and Lyra crashed into him from behind. "Ow! What are you doing?"

"Shh!" he hissed. "You know. The truth is that the humans here don't really see eye to eye with us from Mirkwood. As long as we don't reveal that we're elves, everything will go along fine." He smiled encouragingly as they neared the edge of the forest. "Come on Lyra. Don't you trust me?" She glared at him hard before all her breath left her lungs and she slumped.

"Yes. I do. Just… I hope you know what you're doing!" He gave her a cheeky grin and let go of her hand temporarily.

"Of course. I always know what I'm doing." He spoke into the ears of their horses and the two mounts faded back into the forest. "They'll come back when we need them." Lyra nodded and he took her hand again, pulling her closer to the edge of the forest.

"A-Actually I changed my mind!" she said, pulling back. "Can we go back to the palace Legolas?" He shook his head, a devious look in his eyes.

"And miss all the fun? You have got to be kidding!" Before Lyra could protest again, he tugged her one final time and they were out of the woods and into a large throng of people. He looked back at her to see her mouth agape. Lyra had never before seen anywhere this busy. Street performers danced in the pathways and people walked by. Vendors shouted their wares and everyone seemed to be having a good time. It was a heavy change from the grace and elegance of an elven hall. "So? Not bad huh?" Lyra snapped back to him and shook her head stupidly.

"I… Um… I guess not." Legolas laughed and pulled her into the crowd.

"Great! Now can you put a smile on your face?" She nodded and slowly, the corners of her lips turned up. He laughed and hooked his arm around her shoulders. "Wonderful! Let's go!" He ran off, Lyra coming up quickly behind him. He led her to the nearest vendor and smiled at the shopkeeper- a middle aged woman with round, rosy cheeks and a tummy that was obviously with child. "Good morning madam. How are you today?" She turned in the direction of Legolas' sweet voice in surprise.

"Oh my! Aren't you a handsome child?" Legolas grinned and Lyra raised a brow. At that very moment, she seemed to notice the young girl and smiled down at her. "And what an adorable little friend you have!" Lyra blushed and clutched the prince's arm tightly. He grinned at her before turning back to the shopkeeper who was chuckling quietly.

"Can we get two egg-glazed bread loafs?" The lady nodded and disappeared inside her shop for a moment, coming out not ten seconds later with two steaming packages. She handed them to Legolas with a smile.

"Here you go dearies"

"Thank you," Legolas replied. "How much do we owe you?" She held up her fingers and he nodded, fishing out the right amount from the pouch on his side. He handed it to her and she took it with a nod.

"Pleasure doing business with you. What are two doing out here today? Enjoying the sun?" Lyra didn't know what to say so she only clenched his arm tighter. Legolas however, had the same unwavering confidence as always so he merely smiled and nodded.

"Yes madam. It's too wonderful a day to stay inside." She smiled and turned away from them to another customer, but not before a final line.

"Alright! Have fun children!" Legolas smiled and pulled Lyra away, handing her the loaf as he did so. She stared down at it skeptically, not sure if this was something that she wanted to put in her mouth. It wasn't elven food after all. He rolled his eyes and to demonstrate that there was nothing wrong with the food, took a bite himself. After a long pause as she watched him chew the loaf most happily, she slowly raised it to her lips and tried it herself. She had to be honest with herself.

It wasn't all that bad.

A smile on her face, she followed behind the prince as they continued down the roads of the town. No one paid them any heed. Why would they? Children out on the road on a day like this weren't at all unusual.

Legolas stopped under a tree hanging over the street and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his hands clean on the soft cloth. Lyra quickly stuffed the rest in her mouth as he passed her the cloth and Lyra's already not very sticky hands were cleaned. She made to put it in her own pocket, planning to wash it for him at the nearest stream, but he took it from her before she had a chance. As she looked up at him incredulously, he gave her a smile as he tucked it back in his bag. "You don't have to do me the service of washing it Lyra. You are my retainer, not my maid." Lyra nodded slowly, letting the words sink in. It sounded… strange coming from him. Her parents had always told her that their duty was to serve the royals of Mirkwood. Didn't this include the small things?

If Legolas had sensed what Lyra was feeling, he gave no indication of it, instead, giving her a pat on the back. "I got to go and perform an errand. Why don't you go wander around on your own?" She blanched. Wander around on her own? This was her first time in a human village and he wanted her to wander around on her own? The panic must have showed clearly on her face, for he gave her head a slight rub. "It's not a bad village. Keep your ears hidden and stay where there are many people around. Nothing will happen and we will meet back here in half an hour. Alright?" After a long bout of silence, Legolas began to fear that she would refuse. If she did, he could still go but he couldn't very well just leave her. He could order her to stay, but he didn't want to. That wouldn't be fair to her. As the thoughts were running through his head, he almost missed Lyra's nervous little nod.

"Okay. I'll go look around." He grinned, revealing a perfect row of flawless white teeth and gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"Thanks Lyra. I appreciate it." He let go and jogged away, waving behind him. "See you in half an hour!" The little she-elf watched the prince's back as he disappeared, and she immediately looked around for somewhere that she could sit comfortably. She had just remembered that today was her own birthday and as a result, it was also the prince's. It wasn't clear what she could do, but she thought at least she should sit down and think of something to offer to her sovereign. Quickly spotting a tree with ample shade, she made a beeline through the crowd and plunked herself down underneath the branches.

She quickly drew her knees to her chest and yawned, leaning her cheek against her legs. "Stupid prince," she muttered under her breath, "Who drags a girl out of bed so early in the morning for no other reason then going to a village of men?" One of her hands dropped to the grass below and she ran her palm along the soft green ground. She stayed that way until the sun moved a little closer to the middle of the sky.

Now, Lyra was young and still tired from her early morning escapade, but there was no way that she wouldn't notice an approaching presence that seemed to be meant especially for her. Looking up quickly, she watched as a human lady wrapped in a cloak approached her. Her hand dropped to her waist where her knives lay concealed, her eyes gazed at the woman warily as she sat down by her side and turned so that Lyra could see her face.

She had an odd sort of face. A long elongated chin and large round eyes that glowed an eerie purple. The way they sparkled when she looked at her made Lyra's hair stand on end. Her eyebrows and cheeks were so high that they looked like mountains. Some of her brown hair stood out from her hood and framed her face and waxy skin so loose they hung of her cheeks. Right away, Lyra felt tight in the chest. She felt odd around her, but despite appearances, she felt almost safe, almost comfortable around this strange woman.

"Good morrow elf-child," she whispered, her voice like the sound water makes when it touches hot metal. The girl frowned, but her hand wandered away from the bright metal at her side.

"How did you know?" Lyra replied, finding herself unable to lie to that face. The woman chuckled, once again raising goose bumps.

"There are not many girls your age, with such intelligent eyes and developed face. You're not alone, are you?" Lyra stiffened.

"What are you talking about?" The woman laughed once again.

"You can't lie to me little Silverleaf," she said, her voice changing to resemble a snake gliding over cool river rocks. "I know everything there is to know about you and those around you." The elf scoffed.

"No one knows more about me than me. Don't be so cocky. Besides, that's impossible. No one can know everything." She smiled and Lyra drew back. As if knowing her name wasn't disturbing enough.

"Really? Are you really sure about that young one?" She laughed and held up a bony finger. "How about this. You take what I will give you and you pass it to the prince. You agree to that and I won't approach you or any of your kin again." She stood up and Lyra followed her with her eyes.

"What if I don't trust you? What if I want to refuse your request?" The woman's face was hidden by her cloak as she leaned in and whispered mere inches from the elf girl's face.

"You can't refuse. That has already been written in stone. Your choice now, no matter what you take, will lead to the same result in the near future, but a different choice, will be the difference between safety and a calamity in distant time." Lyra felt a small weight drop in her lap, but she couldn't look at it as her eyes were fixed on the woman. She smiled and stroked the girl's black hair under her cloak. "Thank you for the delightful conversation sweetheart." The woman blew into Lyra's eyes and in surprise, she squeezed them shut, her tear glands starting to work. The breath was like acid. Her eyes almost burned. Her hands flew to her face, rubbing them to alleviate some of the pain. When she opened them next, the woman was gone. Blinking the last of the sensation away, her gaze dropped down. Sitting innocently in the folds of her tunic, was a charm. Curiosity taking precedence over caution, she lifted the charm from her lap with the tip of her forefinger and thumb, and into the light.

It was small, that was her first impression of it, probably not that much bigger than her thumbnail. If she had to describe it, a small acorn would be a good comparison. It could be a light sapphire, but it also looked like a moonstone, and even a bit like peridot. There was a whole swirl of colors within the stone, but it couldn't even be called an opal. All in all, the identity of the type of the stone was a complete mystery. Lyra blew a few strands of hair out of her face and turned it around so that the light flashed through it. There was a small hole at the top and a knotted silver and gold cord ran through it. At first glance, it looked like elf-work, but yet it also seemed like dwarven jewelry. All in all, she couldn't tell what the make was, no matter how hard she tried. It was fairly pretty, she had to admit, but also slightly eerie. As she was examining it more, she felt a weight gather on her head.

* * *

Legolas flew across the ground after leaving Lyra, dodging people, animals and local botany alike as he came to an abrupt stop in front of a familiar shop. The wooden pillars were weak with age and looked like they could topple over with one gust of wind that was too strong. A horse shuffled around outside in its pen and the furnace in the back sent waves of heat all the way to where he was standing. It didn't look like the best place in town, but it was strangely popular. Loosening the cloak quietly at his neck, he stepped inside. Immediately, beads of sweat formed on his brow. The heat was more intense in here than it was outside, but yet he couldn't risk taking off his cloak, lest someone notices his lineage and exposes him. Stepping further in, he realized how uncomfortable the shop really was and wished that the keeper could have met with him outside.

"Flito!" Legolas called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Silversmith! Where are you?" A large man emerged from behind a charred curtain, yawning.

"Quiet down young master," he said. "You're making a racket." The elf looked up at the human man. He hadn't changed at all really since yesterday, yet he couldn't really be expected to. Legolas' head only reached his chest and the brown beard he sported only seemed that much scragglier. His hair was messy and unkempt and his blue eyes were still red from lack of sleep.

"Did you fulfill my request?" The prince asked in his most authoritative tone. "I paid you quite a large sum to have it done by morning today." Flito rolled his shoulder, cracking his neck at the same time.

"Yes, yes. I got it. Really. I stayed up all night to make it. Look at my eyes. They are red and swollen from lack of sleep."

"Your eyes were like that yesterday when I came to see you." The smith shrugged.

"Well, fine, but still. I need my rest." Legolas nodded.

"I understand. I've come to retrieve my request and then I'll leave you to your rest." He nodded and left the elf, going into the back room and then coming back mere moments later, a small parcel wrapped in silk resting on his palm.

"Wasn't easy I tell you," he huffed, unwrapping the fabric, "You really now how to make someone's life difficult." Legolas took the object resting in the middle.

"Well I did give you ample compensation. I'm sure you understand." he said, a small smirk almost making its way onto his lips. Talking with the race of men was always so interesting. Even so, he had to admire the handiwork. For such a large man with large hands, his work was delicate. The silver was hammered into a small, thin sheet and shaped into leaves that you would see on the stems of flowers. Each vein was subtly lifted from the body, creating a sense of realism as he ran his fingers over it. The spot where the chain attached to the charm was carefully wrapped in a gold casing. Smooth and sparkling from a new polish, the work was a fine piece made by man. "It's very well made," Legolas commended, looking at all angles to make sure there was nothing the silversmith had missed.

"Well what did you expect?" Flito answered him, looking uninterested in the whole conversation. "If I took your order at all then you better believe that it's good." He lifted a finger and basically wagged it in front of the prince's face. "I don't take on anything that I don't know I can do well." Legolas had wrapped up the package and was already on the way to the door.

"I know! Thanks for all your help! Have a nice day and get some rest!" Bowing swiftly in front of the entrance, he departed the shop before the man had a chance to say anything. Running down the road, he stopped and looked back. Seeing that Flito hadn't decided to follow and talk some more, he breathed a sigh of relief. "By the Valar, that human sure can speak." Glancing back down in his hand, he smiled and wrapped the pendant back up, tying the knot at the top. "But he does his job well." Pursing his lips, he shielded his eyes and looked up at the sun. It was about time that he met up with Lyra again. Retracing his steps, he continued back to the spot where he had last seen her. When she wasn't in sight, he felt a bubble of panic rise in his throat, but then he realized that she couldn't be expected to stay at that spot. Once that revelation hit his head, he took some time to look around. Spotting the one in question under a tree, he smirked and snuck up on her, leaning his elbow on her head.

"You're full of openings." He said. She didn't even blink.

"So are you." His eyes travelled down, seeing the tip of her knife inches from his abdomen.

"I see." Legolas retracted his arm from her head and as he stuffed the packed charm in his pouch. He didn't notice Lyra do the same thing. "What have you been up to while I was gone?" he asked. She shrugged, standing up.

"Nothing. Just waiting for you to drag yourself back here. Honestly. How could you leave me here alone when I've never been here before?" Legolas chuckled, sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, offsetting some of his hair.

"Sorry. It was important," Rubbing her head again, he smiled. "How about I make it up to you?" She huffed, sticking out her lip as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'm not a child. I don't need you rubbing my head." A moment after she said it, she realized how childish it did sound. She hoped that Legolas wouldn't notice, but it appeared that her hopes were in vain. His right lip quirked and he took his hand back.

"Of course. We're both kids, but I'm that much older than you." Lyra scowled and without another word, stalked off towards the direction they came from. "H-Hey!" he ran after her, catching up easily after three long strides. "Sorry, but I just couldn't resist."

"Just because I'm one hundred years younger than you doesn't mean that you have to treat me like I'm so much younger than you." Legolas sighed.

"I'm sorry alright?" She whirled on him.

"Are you? You always apologize and then just find new ways to irritate me." A nervous look came onto the prince's face as he fiddled with his belt straps.

"Well… I wasn't trying to get you to feel that way. I wanted you to feel more welcome." She raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"Oh? That's a unique method of trying to make someone feel more welcome. Treat them like a fool. Is that it?" He opened his mouth to argue, but Lyra raised her hand, palm facing right towards him. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I know that your heart is in the right place." She adjusted the cloak on her head and attempted a small smile on her face. "Let's just go back? I don't want to stay here anymore." Legolas' head was reeling. One moment she was snarling at him and the next moment she was telling him that there was no problem with what he was doing. On another note, she wanted to go back home. Home. It rolled so easily in his mind. Mirkwood was her home now and he should do everything in his power to make her love it as much as he does.

"The palace? Why? Didn't you enjoy your morning?" She looked at him murderously for a split second, quickly deciding to leave out the parts about how he snuck into her room in the dark, pulled her out before the sun had even risen and then just left her in a strange human village.

"It was fun and new in a way, but I think I've had enough of new things for today. Ada and naneth will be worried, and so will King Thranduil and her lady queen." Legolas stood still, brows slightly furrowed as he thought about what she said. It did make sense, and the more he thought about his mother, the more anxious he felt. He knew his father wouldn't mind and Lyra's parents were unlikely to care all that much either, but he knew that the partner monarch of Mirkwood would be most displeased.

"Point taken," he said quickly, shrugging. "Shall we?" She nodded vigorously.

"Please," she whispered quietly. He smiled gently and gripped her hand again, taking the lead.

"Come on. No sense dawdling if you want to leave." Weaving through the streets, they made their way back to the edge of the forest. Past midday, the amount of people in the streets had dwindled, and it was easier to move without bumping into other bodies. A few adults glanced at them as they made their way back to the forest, but turned back to their work without much thought. To them, two children heading to the woods weren't all that unusual. It was not unsafe if they were careful to stay on the path. Of course, they would never think that these two children were older than their family put together and that they had no intention to stay on the path. No one so much as looked at them again as they stepped into the forest and was swallowed up by the darkness.

Legolas let out a slow whistle as soon as the light began to fade from behind him and muffled steps could be heard. A small rustle of the bushes came next and then both Sûl and Raina trotted out to greet their companions. Lyra didn't think that she'd ever been happier to be back in the comfort of something familiar and she gratefully hugged her filly. Legolas smiled and stood by her side, kneeling down and holding his fingers together once again. This time, Lyra glanced down at him and without saying a word, stepped lightly into his hand and he lifted her up. She smiled at him from the saddle and Legolas, not wanting to say anything to spoil the present good relations, merely smiled in return.

He stepped away after a moment and into the stirrup of his own saddle, taking a seat. Taking the reins in his hand, he made sure that Lyra was ready and waiting before tapping his mount's sides, galloping off back into the forest.

* * *

The time it took to get back to the palace took a lot longer than getting out. This time, they had to be concerned about lookouts, servants and others of the royal court. They were no doubt missed already and getting caught now would do neither of them good. They would be questioned, asked where they had gone if their horses were discovered with them, though there horses would have no doubt been discovered missing as well. They could no longer use the front gates, so Legolas brought them to the back where an unused entrance was their savior. They managed to get their horses rubbed down and back in their stalls without being caught, and they snuck back in the palace without many problems either. However, Lyra couldn't shake a feeling.

"Legolas…" she started. He turned to her.

"Yes?"

"Don't you think this is odd?" She stopped walking for a moment and looked around her before continuing. "It was so quiet and there were hardly anyone in the halls." The young prince glanced left and right before setting his eyes back front.

"I noticed as well. It's strange. Normally around dinnertime everyone is up and about." He laid a hand on his knife and stepped toward the main hall's large double doors. Lyra followed his lead and did the same. Crouching down lowly, they nodded at each other, but before they could do anything, the doors were thrust open and a chorus of voices attacked their ears.

"Congratulations!" The two elflings stood side-by-side and completely shocked as their parents stepped forward. Idhrenion and Alya went to their daughter, embracing her gently as Thranduil and Mirima did the same to their son.

"What's going on ada?" the young prince asked. The king stood back, stroking his son's hair.

"It's your birthday isn't it? You and young Lyra." Once again, the elflings were caught looking at each other. Sure it was their birthday, but why all the fuss? As if reading their mind, Mirima smiled.

"You two have never celebrated a birthday together before. We thought that we would make it memorable for you." Legolas stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the waists of his parents.

"Thank you," he whispered and they nodded. Lyra and her parents did the same. The hall stood in silence as they say the proceedings. A loud clang broke the silence and they all looked to the back of the room where Calanon stood on one of the tables, holding a ladle and metal bowl in hand.

"Thank you very much my lords and ladies, but the children must be hungry! Don't just stand there! Let the feasting begin!" Both Alya and Mirima shot him sharp looks, but their male counterparts only laughed, along with a vast majority of the elves in attendance, including Legolas and Lyra.

"Of course Calanon! Thank you very much!" Thranduil chortled. Clapping his hands, the crowd dispersed onto the tables. Legolas and Lyra were ushered to the front with their parents and they all stood, goblets in hand, filled with fruit nectars and fine elixirs alike. "A toast! To my son and dearest niece. Both of them have hit a monumental time in their lives, the turn of their centuries. May their years ahead be prosperous and happy!" Not a single voice was left out as the cheer rose to complete the toast.

All that came next was mostly a blur to the prince and his retainer. There was a lot of food and drink, grander and more delicious than what they had the night before. There were performers of sorcery in which everyone watched in delight along with soothing music and dance. Endless congratulations were rampant and the air was buzzing with energy. It seemed like forever since the night started, but when no one was watching, Legolas got ahold of Lyra and together, they slipped from the party, away from the stifling throng of bodies and clamor of too many sounds at once from music, to singing to happy merrymaking. He led her away from the warmth of the palace until both sound and light faded away entirely.

"Legolas…" came Lyra's soft voice. "It's already really dark out. We shouldn't have left like that." He snickered.

"Don't worry. They won't even notice we left. Just trust me. I know where I'm going." She wasn't convinced, but what choice did she have? If she went back alone, questions would definitely be asked, and she would be expected to answer. She was so absorbed, that she didn't even notice when Legolas parted a branch and led her out. "Lyra? Come on. Back to the present." She jumped and stared at him. Smiling, he gestured out and her eyes followed, widening when she laid eyes on where they were.

It was the clearing where she had accidentally stumbled into only a day before.

Only this time, it was full of fireflies. Compared to the brightness of day, there was a different majesty about the spot at night. The serene rays of the moon lit up the pond, illuminating it. The fireflies danced through the air, leaving little trails of yellow light behind them. As one came close to them, Lyra's face lit up in a smile.

"It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, laughing as she reached out to touch it. The small bug landed on her outstretched hand and flew away only seconds later. "Is it always like this at night?" Legolas shook his head.

"Not always. It actually only happens a few times a year." He stepped forward and raised his hand, touching one. It flew away in a hurry. "It's ironic though. Fireflies have such a short lifespan, but yet their beauty stays with us, even when they're gone." Lyra nodded.

"It's really different from us." Legolas laughed and walked to the center of the clearing, immediately letting himself fall onto his back on the ground.

"You're right. It is. Ada and naneth told me that sometimes, it's really hard to tell the difference between what divine beauty is." She followed his example, but sat down next to him instead of lying on the ground.

"Isn't it too early to think about that?" she asked and he merely crossed his arms under his head.

"I don't know. I don't think it really makes much of a difference in the long run." He turned over onto his side and his face went serious. "Anyway. Pondering the meaning between elves and other creatures isn't why I brought you here today."

Lyra raised a brow, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Why was he looking at her like that? Then, as quickly as that face came, it was gone and he pulled out a small pouch. She pulled her braid to the front, fiddling with it as she watched him. What could possibly be in such a small bag? "Legolas?" He didn't say anything, but opened it and pulled out something wrapped in silk. He looked up at her finally, holding out his hand, palm up. Not quite understanding, Lyra followed his lead and he took her wrist, placing the parcel lightly in her hand. Unexpectedly, it had a weight to it. Not really heavy, but substantial. Her eyes travelled to his and he smiled, nodding at it.

"Go on. Open it." She looked down suspiciously at it, but did as she was told, unfolding the silk. When she pushed away the final fold, she couldn't help but gasp. The expression of shock quickly changed, and she smiled down at it. A silver leaf, so delicate in form and fine in detail, that she would immediately assume that it was made by elves and maybe by dwarves, but not very likely. But, the more she thought about it, the more both seemed unlikely, and the more men became likely.

"Legolas," she started, "Is this what you went to get when you left me in the village earlier today?" He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"Guess I was found out." Grinning, he rested his head on his hand. "Well… I wanted to make you feel welcome. To give you something from me for your birthday. I'm sorry that I had to deceive you to do it."

She looked at him, then at his gift, then back. She beamed at him, honestly giving Legolas a start.

"Thank you. I'll treasure your gift." His cheeks turned a bit pink, but it was barely visible in the low light. Turning away, he stared at the sky.

"You're welcome. I'm just glad you like it." She nodded, but then reached into her own pocket. The stone still lay there in her pocket. She heard the woman's voice through her head again.

"_You can't refuse. That has already been written in stone. Your choice now, no matter what you take, will lead to the same result in the near future, but a different choice, will be the difference between safety and a calamity in distant time."_

Lyra glanced at Legolas and when he wasn't looking, she pulled the charm from her pocket and held it precariously in her palm. She stared at it and took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Legolas," she called out gently and he turned, quick as a bolt.

"Yes?" She held out her hand and put the charm in his hand.

"Happy Birthday." The prince blinked, disbelieving as he stared down at the charm in his hand before his face completely lit up.

"Thanks Lyra! I never would have expected this! It means a lot to me." This time, it was her turn to blush and she turned away.

"I'm glad you like it," she murmured, furiously fidgeting with her hair. He snickered and tapped her knee. She turned, questioning the purpose of his action.

"Hey Lyra! Let's make a promise." If she was perturbed before, she was even more so now.

"A promise? What about?" He sat up, looking down at her.

"That we'll always be together." She gave him a look.

"That's so childish Legolas." He frowned.

"Why would it be childish? Our fathers have been together for almost their entire lives. Why can't we?" She sighed, thinking about whether she actually had a response for it. Finding none, she nodded.

"You're right." He grinned in triumph. Lyra glared at him. That was a face that she already decided she disliked. It made her feel incompetent.

"Thank the Valar!" His face fell. "How should we do it?" Lyra pulled out her knife immediately.

"Blood pact," he withdrew.

"You can't be serious." She cocked her head.

"Why not? The adults have always done it this way." He sighed.

"That's because," he stopped midsentence and sighed. "Never mind. Let's do it then." He took out his own knife and pricked Lyra's finger and she did the same. Holding hands and the hilt of their swords, they recited the ancient oath that their parents had took before them. "Though it's not official, it's still a serious promise… Right?" She nodded.

"Uh huh." He smiled and took her hand, kissing the back.

"So we'll be together starting today, correct?" She nodded and he smiled, pulling her down so that they could watch the stars together. Unknown to them, a shooting star had just passed above their heads not too long ago, in fact, as soon as they finished their oath. It was like the god of Middle Earth himself, blessed the ancient partnership of the two families, and wished for them to unite each generation once again.

Like it always has been.

**((Sorry for the long wait. I actually rushed a lot on this chapter, so it might not be as good, but I hope you all like it anyway! Thanks!))**


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